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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24306721">in between the lines</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/throwaway18/pseuds/throwaway18'>throwaway18</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Red Velvet (K-pop Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - School, Best Friends, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Pining, Slow Burn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 03:02:41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>21,055</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24306721</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/throwaway18/pseuds/throwaway18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>throughout the years, seulgi analyzes the differences between harmless teasing and shameless flirting exchanged by her best friends</p><p>(rewritten)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bae Joohyun | Irene/Son Seungwan | Wendy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>65</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. introduction</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>this story is, of course, purely fictional and is for my creative outlet</p><p>please do not link this story to any of the girls as i respect their privacy, and again, i write my stories out of entertainment and nothing more</p><p> </p><p>with that said, please ship responsibly and be kind to one another</p><p>&lt;3</p><p>(cross-posted on AFF)</p>
    </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>thank you for clicking on this story. to give you a brief history, i finished this as a one-month writing challenge last december 2019, but after a few months, i decided there were many points that i missed which led me to delete the original version and rewrite the whole story. this may be unlike the other stories you've read before, as it will be neither in irene nor wendy's perspective. instead, this will be told in seulgi's point of view as she narrates the story of her best friends throughout the years. apart from her narration, every chapter will be comprised of a string of dialogues that would highlight their conversations in a particular scene.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p> </p><p>dialogue guide:</p><p> </p><p>"normal" - seulgi</p><p><strong>"bold" </strong>- joohyun/irene</p><p><em>"italics" </em>- seungwan/wendy</p><p><strong><em>"bold/italics" </em></strong>- other characters</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>introduction</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>middle school</em>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    
  </strong>
</p><p>***</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>I had overheard many things about Bae Joohyun. This was before she’d be known as Irene in case you’re confused. The name-change she and Wendy adapted came in during high school, but I’ll get to that soon. We’ve got plenty of time to cover everything.</p><p>As I was saying, I had overheard many things about Bae Joohyun. I was the newbie on my second year of middle school so I naturally cared less about the rumor mill since I hardly knew anyone involved. Gossiping just wasn’t in my middle schooler brain, you know? My classmates, on the other hand, had their mouths running like they were aiming for gold at the Olympics.</p><p>It would be a lie to tell you I wasn’t secretly listening in. I have a hypersensitive sense of hearing—a feat that comes in handy in the future by being with my unsuspecting best friends—which made everyone’s chatter impossible to ignore, and with the talk surrounding unnie, I couldn’t help but be curious. I was teetering in the middle of trying to mind my own business and having my curiosity fulfilled.</p><p>And so, as early as my first week in a new school, I was able to gather this much about the girl:</p><p>One. She missed a whole year of schooling as a result of a sledding accident two years ago.</p><p>Two. Said accident had caused her to be behind from her class, falling in the same grade with Wendy and I.</p><p>Three. An upperclassman I befriended told me that she wasn’t much of a talker who tended to keep to herself.</p><p>And four. Unnie is easily startled by the smallest of things, including me barging in the restroom brandishing a broomstick, and has an ear-splitting scream that may have permanently damaged my eardrums.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“I come in peace!”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Then why are you charging at the restroom with a broom in your hand?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“I, uh, came in awhile ago and saw a spider—”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Spider? Wh—where?!</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“No, no, no! Please don’t scream again, and don’t freak out!”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Not freak out?! How can I not freak out when there’s—”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“I meant, I <em>thought </em>there was a spider. A clearer look on the floor now…it’s just a scrunchie.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“My bad.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“It’s okay.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“That was one heck of a scream you’ve got.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“It—it’s not bad! You could belt out some high notes with that range.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Um. Thank you.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“You’re…Bae Joohyun, am I correct?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Yes, I am.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“I’m Kang Seulgi from Class C. I recently moved here from Ulsan.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Nice to meet you, Kang Seulgi.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“I should, uh, return this broom back, huh?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“You should. I have to head back to class.”</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>“Oh yeah, me too, I made a pitstop to the restroom on my way to the library.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Okay.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“You were lost weren’t you?”</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>“…”</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Do you want me to take you?”</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>“Please.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>_</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>I had also overheard stories about Son Seungwan. In a slightly contrast to the grapevine pertaining unnie’s reclusive persona, the school’s general population were singing songs of praises for Wendy’s academic prowess and her overall friendly demeanor. She was, what did that kid say? Something along the lines of “the human embodiment of a Labrador Retriever.” Don’t snort. You have to admit it’s accurate.</p><p>I had seen her in passing at the hall, circled by her friends with her mouth stretched from ear-to-ear. I didn’t assume she would’ve known me, ‘cause I’m the new kid in school, but she gave me this easy-going smile, and I immediately agreed to what everyone had been saying. She did personify a happy Labrador taking on a human form.</p><p>Scratch that. She <em>does </em>personify a happy Labrador. The past Wendy and future Wendy aren’t too far apart.</p><p>First of all, Wendy was commended as the school’s vocal powerhouse and has been leading the middle school choir.</p><p>Second, she was an active member of the theater club as well.</p><p>Third, she topped every exam in our grade, hence the crown of our grade’s academic prowess bestowed upon her.</p><p>And fourth, she was nowhere shy in approaching complete strangers, considering the lack of hesitation in singing along with me while in separate restroom stalls, the bottom of my skirt in my arms, Hello Kitty undies drawn and my butt firm on the porcelain throne. Our first meeting wasn’t as conventional as first meetings should go. Amidst the unusual introductions, it was branded as the highlight of my week together with meeting unnie.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Hey, why’d you stop? That was pretty good!”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Uh, I kind of need to finish peeing first.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Oh! My apologies, go ahead.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“I’m done so, uh, do I just continue…?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Go back to the chorus and I’ll jump right in.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Okay, uh, Neoui nun ko ip<em>—”</em></p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Neoui nun ko ip.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Nal manjideon ne songil—”</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Nal manjideon ne songil.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Wow, your voice is unreal.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Thanks! I’m Son Seungwan.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Oh, hey, it’s nice to finally hear the voice everyone’s been hyping about! I’m Kang Seulgi, the newbie from Class C.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I’d shake your hand from under the stall but that would be unhygienic, wouldn’t it?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Maybe we could do that outside of the stall?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I would…then I’d have to blow my cover.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Are you hiding?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Yeah. I did a…thing.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“What thing?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I sorta wrote someone’s name on the choir’s audition folder without the person knowing. She found out and well…she’s not too happy about it.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“She can just erase it. Can’t she do that?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“She’s very stubborn. People already knew about her “auditioning” so she’s going through with it. Not before killing me—”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Son Seungwan!”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“I know you’re in here, open up this stall right this instant—oh, Seulgi.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Uh. Hi, unnie.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“The honorifics isn’t needed. And, um, sorry about interrupting your…yeah, I swear, I heard Seungwan in here and—"</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Okay, okay, I’m out, I’m here! I can’t stand hearing you ramble and getting all flustered in front of other people.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“I’m not flustered…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“You are a bit red.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Not helping.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Sorry.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“So…you’ve met Seungwan?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Yeah—”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“You should have heard her sing, Hyunnie! She’s got a great voice. Like, suuuper great. She could join the choir with us!”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“With you, you mean. I’m supposed to be “auditioning” remember?”</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“You two could help each other prepare! I’ll coach you. What do you say?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“I wouldn’t be opposed to it…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Seulgi?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Um, I’ll think about it?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Don’t think about it, just do it!”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“You sound like a Nike advert.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Come on, Seulgi, you’re preventing my murder by being Joohyun’s practice buddy. My death is literally on your hands.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Why am I friends with you…”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“You’re getting off-topic! Convince her, Hyun!”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Um, will you consider it, Seulgi? My nerves aren’t as bad with having a practice buddy to accompany me, that is, if you’re interested in joining. The high school choir from the neighboring school is one of the judges, and Taeyeon-unnie will love you. She won’t be tough to please.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“You haven’t even heard me sing yet.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“I have faith in Seungwan’s judgment.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“So…what will it be?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Okay, I’ll audition.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>One of my life’s biggest mysteries would have to be how Wendy managed to worm her way in Irene-unnie’s safe space. We spent almost every afternoon for two weeks to practice, and that gave me the time to thoroughly observe unnie. She was definitely aloof when we began. Quiet. Reserved. I’d have to be the one to spark a conversation or we’d lapse into this awkward silence.</p><p>That might be difficult for you to imagine. The unnie you’ve hung out with is a total chatterbox, but back then she barely breathed a word to me unless necessary.</p><p>I had finally understood what her former classmate relayed to me about this intimidating aura wafting around her. Like a personal mist to ward off unwanted people from nearing her. But I didn’t back away. There was something genuine hidden behind unnie’s stoic expressions. Maybe “intimidating” was just the term those kids used due to how little the knew about her. She wasn’t an open book, and that made her incredibly hard to read on the get-go.</p><p>Amazingly though, Wendy didn’t have difficulty in filling in the silences with small-talk. It could be attributed to their already established friendship. She would go on great lengths to have unnie answer her other than single-worded responses. Also got her to laugh. I didn’t expect anyone could be capable of getting her to crack a smile until Wendy got her to giggle. To me, it was a superpower she possessed. I couldn’t do it. Wendy did it with ease. She said she mastered the art of breaking the Great Wall of Bae Joohyun.</p><p>God, she was unrelentingly greasy at fourteen.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“That went well, don’t you think?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Yeah.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Your voice perfectly matches the R&amp;B song Seungwan chose for you.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Mhmm.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“It sounds really good.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Thanks.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Yours too.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“U—uh, thank you. Practicing the last two weeks did its job.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“It did.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Tomorrow’s the day, you guys! Based on our practices, I say you’re going to be a shoo in for sure!”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, we can’t get ahead of ourselves…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Nonsense! Chin up, Seul. Just perform as you did, and you’ll be performing next to me in no time. What’s with the frown, Hyun? It’s normal to have the jitters, but you’ll be fine. Now, show me your best smile.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Ugh. My heart can’t take it. My eyes have witnessed an enchanting goddess’ once in a blue moon smile!”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“You’re crazy.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Crazy for you, yes.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Son Seungwan, you have officially lost your marbles.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“How’d you do that?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“How’d I what?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Make her laugh.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I’ve mastered the art of breaking the Great Wall of Bae Joohyun.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Yup. You <em>have </em>lost your marbles.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Before joining the choir, my singing was exclusive to my thirty-minute bathroom rituals. Hey. You can’t make fun of me. Tae-unnie says you hog the bathroom for eternity these days. Anyway, I hadn’t fully considered showcasing my singing on stage. Thanks to Wendy backing me up at the restroom that fateful day, I discovered the beauty in performing for a live audience.</p><p>My newfound love for the performing arts wasn’t my only discovery. I experienced firsthand the vocal champion in action. Initially, I thought being in the choir was purely us kids singing songs from Glee. I wasn’t expecting anything grand so I was shocked at the drive and perseverance Wendy exerted into our performances.</p><p>Apparently, it went beyond lending our voices to the club. I wasn’t skeptical of Wendy’s capabilities beforehand, but it felt surreal experiencing it myself. She was very meticulous in creating the perfect blend for our melodies. Humming to herself was a routine. She was handling the members in our grade and had one-on-one sessions with everybody to assess where we had our troubles.</p><p>Wendy was a natural-born leader no doubt. She would take the initiative to solve a problem without being asked. That’s just a Wendy-esque thing to do, isn’t it? But I was in awe. I’d never seen someone so hands-on. She gained more of my respect for her dedication. I did believe she would be making a career out of music, though you and I both know that wasn’t the path she was going to take.</p><p>As for Irene-unnie, her socializing skills improved after settling in the choir. This improvement is the manifestation of the unnie you’ve always known. She wasn’t apprehensive in engaging in conversations as she used to be, gradually loosening up to former acquaintances and gradually forming new friendships. She had this quirk of fiddling with her blazer while chatting. You’ve seen it. that thing she does with her fingers when she’s anxious, besides the sniffing on her sleeves. Her obsession with fabric softener hasn’t stumbled into my knowledge yet.</p><p>Anyhow, what mattered to me was unnie tried. Her effort counted nonetheless. It was endearing to watch someone grow before your very eyes. The presumptions everyone had of her were only applicable to strangers. If given the opportunity to pass the invisible barrier they hesitated to cross, they would’ve changed their minds about her like I did. Introverts, as you may not be aware of since you’re a giant extrovert, are delicate creatures who unravel their true selves once they’re comfortable with you. Ample time was what it took for unnie.</p><p>Once she became comfortable with me, I was on the receiving end of her actual screeching laughter mimicking a dolphin and a pterodactyl’s hybrid love-child. Not that I could vouch for how a pterodactyl’s screech sounded like. The comparison just somehow makes sense in my head. You get the picture. You’ve encountered unnie’s demonic laugh to empathize with me.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Oh my gosh. My stomach hurts.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“That’s because Seungwan has got you cackling like a banshee.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“She’s doing a weird dance without music! How could I not laugh?!”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“For what it’s worth, it’s nice to see you this carefree. Smiling and laughing.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Thank you, Seul. To tell you truthfully…I didn’t have any luck with friends before. I did have some, but they didn’t really stick around? More like they felt bad for the new kid from Daegu. I guess it was my fault for not being approachable in the first place. I used to be conscious of my Daegu accent so I’d just stop talking altogether.”</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>“You’re from Daegu?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Mhmm. Moved here after graduating from elementary school. My first friends here, they were alright, but they already had a fixed crowd. I was struggling to fit in. Then the accident happened. It got worse. Mostly because everyone saw me as a sunbae instead of one of their own, like I was lightyears ahead. Being a year older isn’t that much of a difference, really. But Seugnwan…she doesn’t call me unnie to make me feel like I truly belong—not that you calling me unnie is a bother either, I’ve grown extremely fond of you over the past month. Seungwan just has this bizarre charm of making people relaxed around her.”</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>“Tell me about it. Seungwan is something else.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“She can be overbearing about stuff, but if she hadn’t pushed me to join the choir, I wouldn’t have met all these wonderful members. She does it out of the pure goodness of her heart—”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Please, carry on, narrate more about this so-called pure goodness of mine.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Welp. The mood is gone.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Gee, Hyunnie, I sure am feeling special from all your sweet words.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Half true, I was caught up in the moment from my conversation with Seulgi.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“You opened up the topic, unnie.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Aww, you do love me!”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Also half true.”</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Your previous words beg to differ—”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Who’s hungry? Because I am! Let’s get fishcakes before the <em>ahjumma </em>moves her cart.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“And there she goes.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“She’s not the affectionate type.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Nope. She’ll come around soon. How about you, Seulgi, have my spell-binding charms worked on you?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Sure, if it helps you sleep at night.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Ha-ha, you’re funny.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>-</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>None of us verbally claimed the other as best friends. It sort of happened on its own. We were this tight-knit trio who ate lunch together, had choir together, and went home together. We were inseparable. Being in different classes wasn’t a hindrance to our closeness. Gravitating towards one another was a phenomenon we couldn’t defy, like Wendy’s hugs and kisses.</p><p>Wendy was, still is, the biggest advocate of skinship. She doesn’t just give away basic hugs, that would be below her standards, but she locks you in a minute-long embrace, encasing her arms around your body and sometimes nuzzling her nose at the crook of your neck. You’re familiar with it. You’ve complained how it tickles you whenever she does that. It’s an intimate gesture she’s preserved for the ones closest to her.</p><p>Her sticky kisses to the cheek was what I branded as an overwhelming display of affection. The abrupt attacks were unannounced, bouncing onto me like a loaded spring armed with her puckered lips. I wasn’t the least irked by it, not by a centimeter. I did prefer for her to give me a heads up. A warning would’ve been appreciated.</p><p>The number one target in Wendy’s hit-list was unnie. It’s the uncommon occasion where she openly expresses her dislike. The reprimand was always at the tip of her tongue, but nothing could’ve ceased Wendy.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Gotcha!”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Wannie! You got drool on my face.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Ew, she’s right.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Why not give unnie a kiss too? Make it even!”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Seungwan, don’t you dare.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Stop it.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“What exactly?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“I know what you’re doing.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Standing behind you?”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“You’re going to ambush me, even though I can clearly see you from the mirror.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Me? Ambush you? Don’t you trust me, Hyunnie?”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Not when you’ve got that stupid grin on your face.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“What stupid grin? I’m just happy, aren’t I allowed to be happy, Seulgi?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Every right to be.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“I don’t like kisses, okay, I’m not used to getting them outside of my family.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“We can change that.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Seungwan, move baaa—AHAHAHAHA! Hey! That tickles!”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“How Wannie’s tickling you and pinning you against the wall looks wrong from where I’m at.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Because it is wro—AHAHAHAHAHA, Seungwan!”</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Just one kith, Hyun.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Seriously that tickles!”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“You guys just frightened some poor girls who probably wanted to pee.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Get off, Seungwaaa—AHAHAHAHAHA!”</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Is it me or are you hardly struggling? Maybe you do want some kisses!”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“I will pee myself if you don’t stop!”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Hurry, Wannie, there’s an opening on her left cheek!”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Mwaaah!”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Ew, ew, ew!”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Don’t wipe it on me!”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“You brought this upon yourself.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“See, it wasn’t so bad, Hyunnie.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“The worst.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Hey, Wannie, look she’s blushing.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Wendy’s kisses were the least of my concerns. She’s blindsided me more times than I could count that I have cultivated an immunity from the attacks. Her affection wasn’t the issue unnie and I had with her.</p><p>Wendy had the inclination of taking matters into her own hands. It was meddlesome. Her fatal flaw. She didn’t have the mindset you and I have to wait for someone’s permission before squeezing herself into your problems. Her overbearing tendencies led to bigger arguments than resolutions. It was suffocating, especially for unnie.</p><p>Like that incident with the ducks. You heard me. Ducks. Those adorable feathered critters actually remind me of Park Sooyoung. Yes, she’s Joy, the singer you have on repeat on Spotify. We went to high school together. She caused a ruckus with unnie, but enough about her. She’ll pop up again at a later time.</p><p>Back to the ducks. The ducks were present at a nearby pond behind our building. More often than not, they’d waddle in the vicinity of our school. Unnie is absolutely <em>terrified </em>of animals. She detested spotting their feathers at the courtyard. It would equate to them being close by.</p><p>Wendy thought this would be the appropriate moment for unnie to withstand her daily terrors. I should’ve been persuasive in stopping her, but Wan was a headstrong kid. She wouldn’t budge, succumbing only when you’ve reached your boiling point.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Red bean ice cream? Do you want her to hate you or forgive you?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“This is her favorite flavor.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Unnie likes ice cream for grandmas?”</p><p> </p><p><em>“She </em>is <em>a grandma. What fifteen your old says laundry is a therapeutic and enjoyable hobby?”</em></p><p>
  
</p><p>“She does her laundry out of…entertainment?”</p><p> </p><p><em>“A grandma, I say. She has a cupboard in their laundry room saved for the fabric softeners she’s bought for the varying seasons. Meanwhile, my mom has been using the same brand for ten years so I’ve been </em>spring morning sunshine <em>scented since I was four.”</em></p><p>
  
</p><p>“Your uniform does smell like spring.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“What else should I grab?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“You’ve brought her to the arcade, lost to unnie on purpose unbeknownst to her ‘cause you’re such a <em>Gentlewannie</em>, and now you’re buying her grandma-flavored ice cream ‘cause it’s her favorite.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Why do you make it seem like I’m buying her apology…I told her I’m sorry.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“That wasn’t my intention, Wan. I was mentioning how you’ve been thinking of ways to make it up to her.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I just can’t stand to have her be mad at me…”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“She’s not anymore, okay? I get what you were attempting. You meant well, but you can’t force unnie to face her fears. She’ll do it when she’s ready. On her terms.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I know. I’ll take it down a notch.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“But hey, add Downy to the cart and she’ll be—”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“What’s taking you guys?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“…”</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“I—it’s for you.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Red bean ice cream. Are you buying my apology?”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“N—no, Hyun, no! I was—it’s just you were mad a—and, I couldn’t stand you being—I thought, I should—”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“I’m joking, Seungwan. You were forgiven before we went to the arcade. Go on, and pay for it. I’ve been craving red bean ice cream the entire day.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“You weren’t wrong, Wan. She <em>is </em>a grandma.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>What I failed to clarify from the beginning is that we went to an all-girls middle school. That isn’t an experience you can relate. You’ve been surrounded by guys since pre-school, and you whine why Heechul-oppa and Tae-unnie are so protective of you. They could have persuaded your parents to enroll you at our middle school. You would’ve gone nuts.</p><p>We did. On our final year. Prospects of romantic relationship and talks of our ideal types were prominent than before, spiked by the hormones dictating our pubescent emotions. We were, honest to God, deprived of encounters with the fascinating male species, pushing some of the kids to resort into what we call a “classroom shipping” to appease themselves. It’s a juvenile teasing to these pairs of girls who have exhibited this eye-catching chemistry, and I’m positive you can guess who one of those pairs were.</p><p>It didn’t occur to me straightaway. Wendy and Irene-unnie were grouped in Class A. I was shuffled to Class B then, disappointed by the separation from my best friends, but the feeling subsided when I became good friends with my seatmate, Jisoo. I didn’t have to feel lonely. It wasn’t like I couldn’t survive by myself. We had lunch, the choir and afterschool bonding to be together.</p><p>I wasn’t mindful of the closeness it inevitably brought Wendy and unnie. It came across pretty normal to me. Jisoo pointed out their supposed closeness while we were passing by their class.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“Check out your friends in Class A.”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    
  </strong>
</p><p>“Which friends?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“Over there. Seungwan and Joohyun. Aren’t they the cutest? Sitting on one chair as if the others are coated in piping hot lava.”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    
  </strong>
</p><p>“Huh. Unnie is practically sitting on Seungwan’s lap.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“Everyone’s shipping them. They’re like an old married couple. Bickering here and there. Feeding each other snacks.”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    
  </strong>
</p><p>“Hey, we sometimes feed each other snacks. How come no one ships us?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“Because you don’t wipe off the crumbs from my mouth with your thumb unlike what Joohyun is doing as we speak.”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    
  </strong>
</p><p>“Okay. Point taken.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“They could totally pass for a legitimate couple.”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    
  </strong>
</p><p>“Nuh-uh, that would mean I’m the third wheel!”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>If I was offered the chance to have a wish granted at that age, I’d most likely wish for the limited-edition classic Converse shoes. Or an easel. Or the luscious tangle-free hair I’d sometimes dream about. Or those hip hover boards that don’t actually hover. Either way, it would be something equally materialistic.</p><p>If you were to ask me now, I’d wish for more awareness at fifteen. The type of awareness that might’ve seen the signs of what Irene-unnie was going through. I couldn’t wrap my head around her becoming skittish whenever Wendy would drape an arm over her shoulder or whenever her hand was being held. I’d chalk it up to a surge of a sour mood—because teens are outright moody, don’t you deny it—instead of acknowledging the obvious reason that was lying under my nose.</p><p>I could’ve talked to her. I wouldn’t know what advice to give, but I could’ve talked to her. One of those instances where saying the right thing isn’t the main priority of your conversation. She and I would be confused on what to do, but at least I’d be there to be confused with her rather than have her face it alone.</p><p>Unfortunately, I didn’t have it in me to be assertive. I was intent on respecting her privacy and I let my chances slip from my grasp. Those were the moments I wished I had Wendy’s ability of tearing unnie’s guard down. Even if it was to pluck a sole brick from the concrete wall she built.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Unnie, wait up!”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Seulgi?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Are you going home? You haven’t been going with us after classes.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“I’ve been hanging with Yoona. We’re neighbors.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“So you’re going home? I’ll go get Seungwan then we can—”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“No, please don’t!”</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>“Ow…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Seulgi! Are you hurt? I’m sorry. I’m so <em>so </em>sorry. I didn’t intend to pull you that hard.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“It’s fine. How come…why don’t you want me to call Seungwan?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“It’s useless. You wouldn’t understand.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Did Seungwan do something? Has she been imposing the ducks on you? I’ll talk to her unnie—”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“No! The ducks aren’t involved. It’s…it’s not that she’s conscious of what she’s doing and how people are reacting. It’s…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“It’s…?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“It’s a complex case, Seulgi. You <em>wouldn’t</em> understand. You haven’t been subjected to it. And I can’t placate myself with Seungwan hanging over my shoulder.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Subjected to what? Unnie. You’re confusing me.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Let me be, Seul. You don’t have to make my problems yours to carry too.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“But—”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“I’ll be leaving first.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Unnie…”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Wendy rarely hates. Everyone could attest to it. You could attest to it. I’ll say I hate the weather, then she’ll simply say it could’ve been bearable had it been warmer. Hate is a strong word for her to carelessly throw around. Wendy would choose to gaze at the brighter side of things no matter how gloomy the skies are.</p><p>With the rarity of her bitter temperament, I’ve seen her mad four-five times in the course of our friendship. It’s <em>that </em>rare. Shiny Pokemon rare. And in those four-five times, I’m telling you, you’d be safer not acquainting yourself with a fuming Wendy. She doesn’t lash out, but the manner her eyes would stare at you says it all. I’m getting goosebumps imagining it. The nicest people are the scariest when at their worst.</p><p>So regarding this rare hate of hers, the quickest trigger is to have herself be left in the dark by certain things. And by certain things, unnie’s constant avoidance fell into the category. Fuse that with unnie swiftly dodging any interrogation, you have yourself the first SeungHyun War, the shortest among the three.</p><p>You’re wondering. I could tell. How could unnie successfully avoid Wendy when they’re in one class? I’ll remind you. Wendy is a social butterfly. She mingles with <em>everyone </em>in class every single day. No exaggeration. It’s a simple fact. I saw her flap those wings around in high school. She doesn’t limit herself to her close friends. While she’s preoccupied, unnie would welcome it as a distraction, seizing it as a leeway for her to flee the room and dash to Yoona. Of course, Wendy noticed the pattern of brushing off her presence. She isn’t smart for nothing.</p><p>Come to think of it, it was unnie’s habit of shielding herself from the world that Wendy hated during their fall-out. But Irene-unnie didn’t know any better. She’s accustomed to dealing with her problems in isolation. I don’t blame her for not opening up to any of us. We were boneheaded kids then, nevermind that we were in our teens. Teens are basically oversized children who refuse to listen. We didn’t realize how bottling up could affect us in the long-run, and unnie did just that.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Where is she?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Wannie, hold up.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“She ran in that empty room, didn’t she? Why would she—Bae Joohyun!”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Stop!”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“I said stop, Joohyun!”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“S-Seungwan.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Why?”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Why are you doing this? Why are you avoiding me? What did I do?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Seungwan, she has her reasons…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Stop covering up for her, Seulgi. Let her face her own battles.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Unnie…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“I’ll handle this, Seulgi.”</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Damnit, tell me Bae Joohyun!”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Ev-everyone has been…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Been what?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“What, Joohyun?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“People have been insinuating things about us, Seungwan.”</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Insinuating what? You have to be clearer than that.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“We’re too attached, Seungwan. They think we have something going on. A <em>romantic</em> something!”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“That’s your reason?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“It’s bothersome!”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“And it’s silly! It’s a meaningless classroom joke, Hyun. It’s not serious. Look, I’m sorry for getting worked up, but you did hurt me by ditching me repeatedly.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Now, I’m not saying what you feel isn’t valid, but you could have at least talked to me about it.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“I’m sorry. I’m…I’m not too fond of the shipping thing.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“I’ll speak with the girls, alright? I won’t allow it to bother you.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Yeah, you have us to rely on, unnie.”</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Th-thank you. Both of you. Really. I owe you an apology, Seungwan. That wasn’t very nice of me.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“You know what would be nice?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“What?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“If you gave me a hug.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Really, Wannie? Greasy even at this moment?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Fine.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“You call this a hug? You can do better, Hyun!”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“There. Happy?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Superduper. Get in, Seulgi!”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Group hug!”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>My mom loved retelling people that if fireworks were to be promptly set off at our house, I would stay dead to the world with my mouth ajar and a pool of drool seeping out of it. I would protest had she spouted lies, but it’s not a made-up story to embarrass me in front of my friends. I am a heavy sleeper. I could sleep through an earthquake, a raging thunderstorm, and my older brother banging on his drumkit. My state of unconsciousness would be unbeatable against any booming noise.</p><p>What does wake me up, strangely, is the tiniest narrowly audible bump in the night. Remember I told you I had hypersensitive sense of hearing? This is where it comes to light. You’re going to relish in this since you’re the first person I’m sharing my sleepover series with. These are the exchanges of Wendy and unnie I’ve embedded in my memory.</p><p>They must have safely presumed I’d be knocked out cold from the instant I’m unresponsive on the futon until I could sniff the aroma of bacon floating in the air the next morning. Comprehensible. I never dared to interrupt the conversation they were having. Maybe except that one time. More of that to follow.</p><p>I also sleep in a haphazard position like in those crime shows flashing the images of the dead body of their murder victim. I kick my legs and flail my arms in my sleep okay, it’s involuntary. Because there was an accident of me slapping Wannie into oblivion, I would barricade myself with pillows on my side of the futon, with Wendy in the middle and unnie one the other end. Having that arrangement, they were prone to whispering with each other, their hushed tones waking me up in the process.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Psst.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Hey.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Yes, Seungwan?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“You’re still awake.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“No, I’m very much asleep.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“And still very much sarcastic.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Got something to say?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Seulgi sleeps like a bear. She hasn’t moved for hours. Is she hibernating? Snores like one too.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“She does, but I’m certain that’s not what you wanted to say.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“I could be overstepping some boundaries.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“I’ll be the judge of that.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Hmm.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Those boys…at the café.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Boys?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“The ones who pretend they’re reading a book next to our table but are actually there to watch you.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“What about them?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Creepy.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“If you put it like that.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“But some of them are nice, huh? Not the creepy kind of nice.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Some, yeah.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“They really like you.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Define…like.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Um, they’re interested in you and want to ask you out. That kinda like.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Oh.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Are…are you interested in any of them?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“I don’t think so.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Not one?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“No.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Oh. Cool.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Why?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Hmm, nothing. Simply curious.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Oh.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“I’m sleepy.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Me too.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Seungwan?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Yeah, Hyun?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“You think we’re going to be friends forever?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Hell yeah. The three of us, you, me and Seulgi.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Our snoring bear.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Yeah, our snoring bear.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Are you cuddling me?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Can’t I?”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Your legs are heavy. Getting Seulgi’s punches would be preferable.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Ouch, Hyun. Your harsh words are breaking my heart.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“That breaks your heart? You’re immune to it then.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“It would be an honor to have my heart be broken by you.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“What a masochistic cheeseball you are.”</strong>
</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>any feedback is greatly appreciated :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. rising action</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>rising action</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>high school </em>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>***</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>High school just has everyone filled to the brim with excitement. It could be pinned on the embellished notions high schoolers have imprinted on the gullible middle schooler brains. My brother would brag about his self-proclaimed legendary misadventures, regaling a bunch of wacky stuff he and his friends got themselves into. Because these are proclamations by the idiot, I wouldn’t bat an eye. I viewed high schoolers as people with superiority complex.</p><p>Becoming one myself, it did feel like I was mounted on a pedestal. The youngins were galaxies away from me looking so microscopic from the imaginary podium I stood on. Isn’t that how you feel? Achieving a higher level of maturity by reaching that milestone. It could be the brand-new uniform or the sophisticated vibe being in high school emanates. I couldn’t decipher it.</p><p>Much to our dismay, we were in separate classes once more. A cruel twist of fate, am I right? No? Yeah, Wendy’s flair for dramatics has rubbed off on me. So it wasn’t cruel. It was a predicament we’ve overcome before. If we’d learned anything from our second year of middle school, it’s that the separation couldn’t sever our friendship. What <em>did </em>taint our bond was—no, sorry. That’s a fast-forward from our timeline. Can’t have myself spoiling the happenings down the road. I’d be a horrible storyteller.</p><p>Where was I? Oh, yes. High school. <em>Our </em>high school. The very school you go to, which meant one thing for us: boys. I’ve been living with one since birth, a nasty dirt-tracking, snack-stealing, fart-producing homo sapien, but I wasn’t spared from the culture shock. It had taken me a month to adjust. Wendy befriended them effortlessly. She was in her element when making friends.</p><p>Irene-unnie was a whole other story. The impact of a mere hairstyle alteration combined with puberty hitting her square on the face had been deadly. Boys obviously fawned over her. You’ll be enlightened on how they would tail unnie.</p><p>Aside from the boys, freshman year was the year Seungwan and Joohyun became Wendy and Irene. We had a tall guy named Seungwan and two more Joohyun’s. It would’ve caused head-turning confusions. To eliminate any future misunderstandings, they’ve gone with a name-change of Wendy and Irene. However, I was unaware their names wouldn’t be the only ones undergoing changes.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“What a week it has been.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“We’re only in our first year and I’m already exhausted.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Exhausted? All we did for five days was introduce ourselves to our classmates and have a run-through of our classes. We basically socialized.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Socializing is an extreme sport in my book.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Want some juice, unnie? I think we have some in the fridge.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“No, I think your brother drank everything when we got in. Saw him tiptoe from the kitchen.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Ugh, really? That idiot brother. I think we have some milk though.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“That won’t be necessary, Seulgi. I’ll just lie on the couch to soothe my tired bones.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Interesting. Since when was I a part of the couch?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Since your squishy butt has been a desirable alternative than the cushions.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“What’s with this sudden obsession on Wendy’s butt?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Didn’t notice it then but they’re firm and squishy! Pinch them.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Seulgi, no—ouch!”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Oh, wow, you’re right. How firm!”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Damn it, Hyun.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“I’m Irene now.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“I call you Irene in school, but you’ll always be Hyunnie to me.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“What if Seo Joohyun hears you and she assumes it’s for her?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“That would be hilarious.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Then you’ll always be Hyunnie to me in private.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Ack! No more cheek kisses! Leave me in peace.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“I would but your head’s lying on my lap.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“I’m resting.”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“With your hand reaching for my ass?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“They’re like stress balls.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Speaking of stress, we have homework to do.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“It’s a Friday.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Seulgi and I started on it while waiting for you to come out from your classroom.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Okay, but I’m staying here on your lap. I’ll just listen to you guys.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Seulgi, hand me my sheet from my bag please.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Which zipper?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“The biggest one.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Here it is.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Thanks.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Wannie, have you solved these problems yet?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Which?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“These ones.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“What the…my class was given another problem to solve. Check Hyun’s sheet.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“It’s inside my binder.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Yup. Different problems.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Darn it. We can’t compare answers now.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Or copy.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“It’s the universe telling you to get your lazy butt to it.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Later. But this sucks. Is it too much to ask to have the three of us be in one class?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Aww, don’t fret, Hyunnie. Those walls could never tear us apart.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Wannie, what the heck was that?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Contain your greasiness, Son Seungwan!”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Oh, you like it.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Like I would ever!”</strong>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Choir had been fun in middle school. It helped in molding me as a person and as a comrade to my fellow members. Those two years had been enjoyable, performing alongside Wendy and unnie. But all good things have to come to an end.</p><p>The three of us had uncovered our individual interests in high school. I would’ve liked to stay together in choir, but I had favored another extracurricular. Unnie shared my sentiments and so did Wendy. We were best friends, but were our own person before that. We have to let the other grow to have them prosper.</p><p>My brother had his baseball equipment lying around the house, and I’d taken over them as soon as he moved away for university. I had my fair share of baseball expertise thanks to the idiot using me as his catcher slash human target practice for years. It honed my athleticism, and it aided me in succeeding at the softball tryouts.</p><p>Irene-unnie surprisingly signed up for the school’s Journalism Club after becoming awestruck by “the pretty sunbae in pink”—a friend of Tae-unnie, she was Tiffany, if I’m not mistaken—manning their booth during the freshman orientation program. I’m saying <em>surprisingly</em> since unnie wasn’t thrilled in partaking any variation of public speaking. I thought nothing of her fangirling over “the pretty sunbae in pink”, repeating the phrase again and again. I do recall the sunbae being exceptionally charismatic, smoothly attracting a crowd. Looking back, there’s a voice in me that says eighty percent of her signing up had to do with the sunbae than the club itself.</p><p>Wendy unsurprisingly joined the school’s Theater Club. I wouldn’t have to expound on it. She has <em>performer</em> engraved in her heart. As we were engrossed in our chosen clubs, our schedules would clash, making it increasingly difficult for us to spend our afternoons together.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Seulgi! Wendy!”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Unnie?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Hyun! Seulgi and I have club activities today. You shouldn’t wait for us.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Yes, yes. I’ve kept track of your schedule. I wasn’t going to leave until I gave these to you. I ran to the cafeteria before it closed. Take these. Drinks and sandwiches for you two.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Free food!”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Aww, Hyun.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“You shouldn’t have, unnie.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Yeah. It’s sweet of you. I should probably go to the dentist tomorrow.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Was there a dental appointment you missed?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“No, it’s because you have my teeth rotting to the core.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“I’m taking yours back.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“No take-backs! Your gesture has brought back the colors into my world. You’ve cast aside the looming shadows in this bleary afternoon—”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Okay, get your hustle on, Shakespear, you’ll get yelled at for arriving late again. Is someone going home with you, unnie?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Jackson and Bogum will be.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“You’re going home with boys?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“I’m comfortable with them. We have a similar route home.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“As long as they’re not two of your creepy fanboys.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“They’re not. Don’t stress about it. I’ll text you guys tonight!”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>High school boys were a nuisance. They were rowdy, loud-mouthed and obnoxious. Sometimes worse than elementary school children. Those three unappealing qualities alone repelled me from ever dating in high school. Boys as friends were totally bearable. I did have a number of male friends whose sense of humor had been extremely childish. Drooling on each other’s desks childish. But they were good guys, just with the mentality of a ten year-old.</p><p>Would have I dated them? Hell no. I wouldn’t have sustained a relationship with their immaturity. Dating was at the bottom pit of my priorities. College, thank God, was a breath of fresh air. Wendy would tell me it’s because I met Sehun at university and was saved from meeting his high school self. She does have a point. I have the timing of our meeting to be grateful for.</p><p>To Irene-unnie, boys were especially a nuisance. As I’ve previously mentioned, unnie was our famous school Belle, harvesting suitors left and right. Those hopefuls ranged from our classmates, to our sunbaes, and to the hormonal teenage boys from the neighboring schools. Her neck-straining beauty was widely recognized in the area. It’s where her appellation of “local goddess” had originated.</p><p>Unnie’s wariness around strangers was amplified at her battalion of admirers. They’d do everything to talk to her, slipping in love letters into her locker and buying her presents she would politely decline. The school security had to monitor the boys flocking the gate from trespassing. Other girls saw it as an unfair blessing. Unnie saw it as a curse.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Pardon me, Juliet. Your dashing Romeos are by the school gate.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Oh no.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Oh yes.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Turn around, Seul. We’re going back in.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Wha—why—slow down, unnie!”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Keep running!”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“You think we’re safe inside here?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Outsiders are banned from entering past the gates, so we’re good. But why are we hiding? Are the boys bothering you?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“It’s an entrapment. They’re expecting me to choose.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Choose who you’re going to date?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Yeah. Some of them hounded the guys I’ve spoken to. I’m ashamed to show myself to Jackson and Bogum. They’re my co-members from the Broadcasting Club for Pete’s sake. Those guys thought they were giving them a run for their money.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“That gives boy problems another meaning.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“How ridiculous is that? They’re my <em>friends</em>. Will every single male I interact with be a budding romantic interest? It’s exasperating! A guy and a girl can be friends without going beyond friendship.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Do you like either Jackson or Bogum?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“As friends.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“How about any of the guys outside?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Not one! I’m drowning, Seul. Whatever move I make, they misinterpret it as flirting. I haven’t even flirted before! It would be a miracle for me to have a decent convo with the opposite sex.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Don’t let those poor unfortunate souls hear you.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Wendy! How was your audition for My Fair Lady?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Meh. I’m not proud of it. Why are you guys still here? Didn’t you leave earlier?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“The boys.”</p><p> </p><p> <em>“Ah, the throng of hopeless romantics that would put boybands with multiple sub-units to shame. No promising candidate for the coveted Prince Charming of our Ironrene?”</em></p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Nope. And really? Ironrene? Quit making fun of my love for laundry. I already have too many nicknames.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“If you say so, Laundrene.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“That one’s witty.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Don’t enable her.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“You know what your future boo should call you?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Oh God, not another—”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Bae.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“You are so lame.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“I’m rethinking our friendship.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Me too.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“You guys are a downer! Yongsun would have been shrieking at that.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Who’s Yong?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“She’s a bubbly girl from our class.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“And a member of the Student Council who makes the corniest jokes.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“She and Wannie are like soulmates!”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Soulmates?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“You’ll meet yours, Hyun. Who knows, when you do, you’ll be too busy with your loverboy to hang with us.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“I’m never too busy for you.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“And I’m the greasy one?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“You’re tainting her vocabulary, Wan!”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Irene-unnie really outdid herself for Wendy’s sixteenth birthday. We had devised a surprise party at the school theater after being permitted by Sooyoung-unnie, their club president. I was tasked with collecting the handwritten messages from Wendy’s friends, but the incoming games of the softball season kept my afternoons swamped. I was training every day, and I couldn’t sneak out from Hyo-unnie’s watchful eyes. I would’ve died under wrath.</p><p>And so, unnie assured me she’ll be alright shouldering everything else. I felt guilty for not being of service, and all I had to do was to make sure everybody showed up. I sketched Wannie a portrait to pacify myself. Unnie had ventured outside of her comfort zone, conversing with the people in Wendy’s circle of friends. I was impressed. You have to understand, it’s a <em>huge </em>circle we’re talking about.</p><p>Why were we going all out? It was unfortunate that Wendy’s parents weren’t there to celebrate the occasion with her. They had flown to Canada to take care of her older sister who had gotten into an accident. It was minor, sprained her foot while trekking, but it was alarming enough to have her folks worried. Wendy was bound to celebrate it alone on a school night.</p><p>Unnie said it was unacceptable, and I assented. We weren’t going to have our best friend wallow by herself at an empty house.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Everything ready, Seul?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“You betcha.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“The cake?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Lit and on the stage.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Okay. Alright. Good. <em>Good. </em>Things will be good. Or it won’t. Oh my God. It’s going to suck. Seulgi, oh my God—”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Woah, chill for a sec, unnie. The surprise will go without a hitch. Relax.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Y-yeah. You’re right. I’m just…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Move it people I gotta pee!”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>“Wha—”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Yeri, have some manners!”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“You’re both standing in the middle of the hallway so maybe you should have some manners.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Feisty. Kid’s missing a boot though. Who was that?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Taeyeon-unnie’s eight year-old sister.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Guys.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>“Update on Wannie’s whereabouts, Jackson?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>“She’s here. She’s walking towards the door. Get into places, everyone!”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“Thanks again for helping, Jackson.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Glad to be of help, Irene.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>“The door’s opening. Turn off the lights and everyone shush!”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>“…”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“…”</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“Uh, hello? Anyone—oh shit! Who the fuck left a child-sized boot on the aisle?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“…”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“…”</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Yo, anybody in the house?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“…”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“…”</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“I’m getting sacrificial lamb vibes from the candles on stage and I’m not ready to die a virgin.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“…”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“…”</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Hello?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Surprise!”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“Oh, sweet Jesus you guys scared me!”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Happy birthday, Wendy!”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“My birthday is in two weeks..?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“But then it wouldn’t be a surprise.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Seulgi! Hyun! And other people whose names I couldn’t possibly mention in one sitting! This is clever. Wow, I’m—I’m floored.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Do you like it?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“To be candid with you guys, those candles plus the red curtains made me think you were luring me in for a satanic ritual since I couldn’t distinguish the cake from afar. But thank you, everyone! Ooh, hey. Taeyeon-unnie! Don’t you have a decathlon?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Happy birthday, Wendy.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“You’ve brought the gremlin too.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Who you calling gremlin, pipsqueak.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Behave yourself, Yeri. Actually, Joohyun found out it was being rescheduled, and she contacted me about the arrangement.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“You planned this?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Seulgi and I did.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“She did most of it, Wannie! She even talked to people.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“You’re making me sound like a total recluse. Seulgi did your portrait over there.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Oh my—what the hell! That is incredible! Have I always been that adorable?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Anything for you, Wan. But the real credit goes to Irene-unnie who staged everything.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Did she now?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Yeah, yeah. It’s no sweat. But I can’t stay long because my sister has her dance recital at the middle school across, so I gotta leave.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“No worries, Hyun. Thanks so much for this!”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Birthdays are only once a year, so…Well, I have to get going. Happy birthday again, Wendy!”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Aww!”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>“Cute.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Don’t count on me to do that another time!”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Running away after kissing you on the cheek. That is such a kiddie move.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“She kissed me…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“We saw. We have eyes.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“She kissed me.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Yes. I was there, remember?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Wannie, close your mouth.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In this episode of the sleepover series, it was sometime before our second year of high school. My house was the designation every time we had sleepovers as it was halfway between Wendy’s and unnie’s houses. They also adored my mother’s homecooked food. Mom equally adored those dorks. Wendy’s parents run a pharmaceutical distribution business, while Irene-unnie’s parents are sought-out dentists. With both parents working, takeouts were the usual meals in their household. I was lucky I had my mom at home.</p><p>She even fussed over me upon realizing I was having the worst cramps known to mankind. I was curled in a ball on the futon. Unnie commented I resembled a fetus shown in ultrasounds. Have you had that? No, not the fetus. I meant the cramps I had. Like you’re hosting a heated stabbing competition down below. I don’t know what I did to deserve the torture, but I must have committed a crime in my past life. I was given medication to relieve the pain, and five minutes in, I was snoring.</p><p>Hours passed, and I did this mixture of snoring and inhaling, something I do frequently in my sleep—which, according to Wendy was my portrayal of an industrial-sized vacuum cleaner sucking the entirety of the oxygen in the room. I woke myself up at the unattractive snorting, hearing the unmistakable giggles of my best friends in my dimly lit family room.</p><p>Your unnies were beneath the covers in their natural habitat. They were hugging or cuddling or whatsoever. I couldn’t accurately identify their positions in my post-sleep daze. What I did identify was their nerve to be brazen and domestic within reach of my sleeping form. I was third-wheeling in my own home.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“It appears the vacuum cleaner plugged itself into the socket.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Wan, don’t make me laugh. I can’t hold it in.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Why are you staring at me?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“The light shining on your face makes you look like a ghostly apparition.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Jerk.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Ow.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Pipe down, you’ll wake Seulgi.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“The bear is hibernating. She won’t wake up unless she smells her mom cooking breakfast.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Can’t argue with that.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Gosh, is it cold or what?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“So you’re going to bury yourself on my chest?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Uhuh.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“You smell nice.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Thanks, I bathed myself.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“A miracle that is.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Hey, I take proper hygiene.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Whatever gets you to sleep.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“I can’t when you’re breathing on my neck.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“You really do smell nice.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“So I’ve been told.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Seungwan, that tickles.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“What, it’s just my hand.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Your ice-cold hand—watch where you’re landing them.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“You’re refusing my cuddles then?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“You don’t place your hand under the person’s shirt when you cuddle them.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“How else should I keep them warm? They are ice-cold as you’ve said.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“I’m cold too, okay.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Guess I’ll go cuddle Seul—”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Just don’t steal my body heat.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Aww, someone’s clingy.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Shut your trap and go to sleep.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Nighty-night, Hyun.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“G’night.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Okay, you breathing on my neck is tickling me too.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Your freaking Arctic palm is pressed on my back so deal with it.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Fine.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>-</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Junior year came. Wendy and I were assigned to Class B. I was fifty-fifty ecstatic as unnie was sulky about being in Class A. It wasn’t that it sucked, she had Jackson and Yoona there with her, but she was bummed at having another year without either Wendy or me.</p><p>We had arrived at an agreement that we would mandate the Fridays of every week to uphold our sleepover tradition. Cram school and our extracurricular activities were taking up our free time. We had the CSAT to study for so we couldn’t be complacent in our academics. That left our Friday evenings to be vacant.</p><p>My head wouldn’t have absorbed more material if we had gone with seven full days of mental agony. I had my brain cells working overtime. Adding another shift would’ve been unhealthy. You need to rest too. Don’t overwork yourself. I’d overworked myself for three days in college and I nearly microwaved a can of Lysol before Lisa tackled me. My sandwich should’ve been there, but an overworked mind hurls common sense out the door. Jisoo dubbed me as an auto-pilot hazard.</p><p>Our college apartment was—oh, I’m time-travelling again. I was speaking about junior year of high school, wasn’t I? Right. The Friday sleepovers. Mario Kart was the stress reliever for those nights. You could predict where this is going. Wendy, the poster child for losing at every game invented on earth, has a winning streak in Mario Kart. Her wins fuel unnie’s competitiveness. I’d be chilling on the couch, munching on popcorn, amused by unnie’s sore loser tantrum because my best friends are more entertaining than the internet.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Come on, Wendy! One more game!”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Proven from the six times you have lost, you can never win against me. I wanna play with Seulgi. She doesn’t slip on her own banana peel unlike someone.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Because it’s her Wii we’re playing. That in itself is unfair.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Didn’t unnie slip on a banana peel in school about a week ago?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Oh yeah!”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Ugh…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Those guys watching were like sharks when they saw her fall. It was a feeding frenzy! They were rushing to her like maniacs.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Sorry for them, Gentlewan was there to save the day.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Hardly gentle. She was having the time of her life laughing, “Is this for real? Are you for real?” then yanked me before the boys got closer. I was convinced I had dislocated my shoulder there.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Technically, I still helped you in getting up. I had to take responsibility since the only logical explanation as to why you slipped is because you had fallen for me.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Ew.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Sometimes I wonder what goes on in that head of yours.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I’m done chitchatting. Hand over the controller to Seulgi.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“One more, okay, just one more. I’ll do anything!”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“You’ll do anything?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Yeah. Anything.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“…anything?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Except for a cheek kiss!”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“What’s that buzzing noise?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Unnie, you have a text message.”</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“You can answer while the game’s pau—hey, cheater! You can’t just un-pause the game!”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“It’s called a head start! I’ll reply to Jackson after this.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Wan, watch out!”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Ha! You slipped on your banana peel!”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Superhero movies demonstrate bravery through acts of heroism. Superman single-handedly stopped a moving train from crashing. Spider-Man—the one Tom Hollnd was in—launched himself into freaking outer space to ensure the alien contraption wreaking havoc in the city would be destroyed. Mr. Incredible fought a highly intelligent Omnidroid that internalized his movements.</p><p>Placing your life on the line demanded for bravery. A heroic sacrifice in return for the betterment of civilization. The odds of these heroes actually perishing in their perilous quagmire can be outweighed by the strength of their superpowers. Yes. Ironman <em>did </em>die, but his name was never declared in my narrative. Moreover, he didn’t have superpowers. Their superpowers were sorta my main gist. Be patient. I’m getting to it. Stripping off these powers, what do you have? An everyday human. How is bravery demonstrated by average mortals?</p><p>Brave was a common adjective to describe Wendy. She has this belief that one shouldn’t stand idly. She’s fiercely determined in uplifting her principles, conveying her ideas to spectators who could brutally turn it down. She’d done it in choir, showed me what it means to have your voice be heard.</p><p>I was inclined to think Wendy wasn’t scared of anything. She had combatted stage frights, stood up to bullies, and rode the T-Express at Everland where I may have pissed myself a drop or two. But like everyone else, even the bravest people become scared.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Um. Seulgi. Hyun. Can I have a word with you in private?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Yeah, Wan. What’s up?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Can I get a raincheck? I can’t right now, Wendy.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Where are you going?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Emergency club meeting.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Again? You’ve been together with us less and less the past week.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Been busy with my duties. I have to go. Maybe you can call me later?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“It’s not something I can say over the pho—”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“I’m sorry, but I really should go. We can talk tomorrow, Seungwan!”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Hyun!”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Damn it!”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Wendy. Breathe. How big of a deal is it if you need both unnie and I present?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Wannie..?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Oh my God, Wan, you’re shaking! Have some water. Drink this. How about we go sit on the bench?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“O—okay.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Why don’t you tell me first? Get it off your chest.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Um. Yeah. Okay.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“I’m all ears for you.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I think…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I think I like girls.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Oh. Is your “like” exclusive to girls?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Um. I like guys too.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Ahh. So you like both?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Ye—yeah. I…I do like both.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Is that…Are you..?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Wan. It’s fine by me. I won’t be seeing your any different because of your preference. People will like whoever they like. You’re still my best friend, and I’ll always love you. Thank you for having the guts to open up to me. I can’t vividly place myself in your shoes with what you feel, but I do know the decision to come out hasn’t been the easiest thing to do.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“It definitely hasn’t. The past nights…it got me reflecting. How I like girls with long dark hair, girls with a bashful smile that could light up a Christmas tree, girls with a weirdly delightful laugh, girls with a heart bigger than their bodies.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I just…I just like girls, Seul.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>I was there when Wendy told Irene-unnie. She hadn’t slept a wink the evening prior. As a result, she had half-open eyelids and heavy eyebags for the day. I’d mumble reassurances to her in class to tranquilize the anxiety she’d been having. She’d give me a weak nod then doodle absentmindedly on her notebook. The lecture didn’t sink in with her ruffled state consuming her ruminations, and I got a score higher than hers in the pop quiz we had. I had beaten the soon-to-be class valedictorian. A once in a lifetime achievement I couldn’t bear to be proud of.</p><p>The worries dissipated as I held her hand for moral support. It did seem as if we were coming out together, and unnie inferred we had been in a hidden relationship for weeks. Wendy was stumbling over her speech, which just made her sound utterly defensive, so I had to pick up where she had left off to set the record straight to unnie. It became a running joke in college whenever Wendy and I would be holding hands at the courtyard. Yong would fetch Wendy after her class, and I’d be livid saying, “After coming out together, you leave me for her?!” The mortified faces of bystanders were priceless. Yong would have a laugh at it.</p><p>Wendy really didn’t have to pressure herself, but I didn’t have the experience of coming out so I wouldn’t know of the hardship. Unnie was very accepting, hugging the nerves away from Wendy’s trembling hands. She was guilt-striken for doubling the nerve-wrecking confession when Wendy could’ve had a decent slumber if she had stayed with us.</p><p>We talked it out, made peace, and skipped on cram school to go to the arcade. I was glad there wasn’t going to be any more bumps in the road for us. Boy, was I in for a storm.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“She’s ditched us again.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Unnie has a lot on her plate. She’s juggling schoolwork and her club activities. It’s not a walk in the park. We both know how it is.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Yet, I have extra hours to spend with my friends.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“You and I are in one class, Wan, and not all clubs have the same workload. The broadcasting club could be making preparations for an event. Jackson tipped me off about them getting busier, but he’s staying hush-hush on the specifics.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“So she’s seeing Jackson? It has to be why she has been texting to suspiciously.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Texting her co-member isn’t suspicious. He’s a good friend of hers. In fact, texting in general isn’t remotely suspicious. It’s the pastime of the majority of high schoolers.”</p><p> </p><p><em>“He has to be the </em>J <em>saved in her contacts.”</em></p><p>
  
</p><p>“What <em>J </em>are you—did you check on unnie’s phone without her consent?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I was checking on the last person she called.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“You’re breaching her privacy.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“She could be seeing someone behind our backs! The broadcasting club could be her excuse, a decoy, to throw us off so she could run into the arms of her boytoy.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Wendy, are you out of your—”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Is that what you think?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Unnie.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“I wanna hear her answer, Seul. She does have a <em>ton </em>to say.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“What else was it supposed to be?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“That I’m doing a project? I said I was busy. Isn’t saying it once enough? You’re an honor student, Wendy. You shouldn’t have to be told twice. I’m handling a project I can’t reveal to anyone.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p><em>“Is it really a project or do you go on a rendezvous with </em>J<em>? </em>J <em>stands for Jackson, right? You’re seeing him.”</em></p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Dear God, did you check on my phone? Unbelievable. You’re smothering me with your nosing around! Should I disclose the nitty-gritty details of my day-to-day activities to you? Have myself compose a heavily penned account on what I do in the twenty-four hours? Record everything too?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“You wouldn’t have to if you straight up told us—”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“When there’s something I haven’t revealed to you, is it justifiable to go around making allegations on what I’m doing? Is this how our friendship works?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“We’re best friends, Hyun. There shouldn’t be anything I don’t know about you!”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“What I divulge to people is for me to decide! I can’t believe you were going through my phone. But it’s ridiculous you’re fired up about the possibility of me seeing someone. Why are you acting like a possessive girlfriend when you have zero rights to be?!”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“How could I trust you after knowing you couldn’t even trust what I say?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Geez, Wendy, apologize to unnie.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“I’m sorry about this, Seul. I’m going.”</strong>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>A lot could transpire within two weeks. It was fourteen days of radio silence between unnie and Wendy. Fourteen days of unnie casting forlorn glances at us in passing. Fourteen days of Wendy ignoring the existence of their problem. Fourteen days of blocking each other on social media. Fourteen days of me going back and forth between my best friends.</p><p>I was in a pickle. My position as the middle man was just as painful as being one of the people in question. I was playing parkour, best friend-hopping version, bouncing from Wendy during classes to Irene-unnie during our lunch breaks. I couldn’t name-drop the other without them walking away from me or scowling at me. I had to intervene in some way.</p><p>Unnie hadn’t stated anything Wendy-related, but I knew in my heart that a sincere apology was the key ingredient to the truce in this WenRene War, the successor of the SeungHyun War from middle school. Cajoling Wendy to apologize was what I was striving to accomplish. It was easier said than done.</p><p>Wendy did blow it out of proportion. She was a hardheaded kid. The snooping and the accusations, true or not, were uncalled for. It took every will-power I had not to smack her in the head. She’s my best friend, but I wasn’t going to let her off the hook. She did learn from it.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“It’s going to be three weeks in a couple of days.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“What do you want me to do about it?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Apologize. Duh.”</p><p> </p><p><em>“Not until she tells us who </em>J <em>is.”</em></p><p>
  
</p><p>“If she does and she says she’s seeing someone, would it give you the satisfaction?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Would it?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I’d be disappointed. She barely has time for us and she adds a relationship into the mix? What are we to her?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Her best friends. I get it. You’ve been feeling excluded from her life for the time being. It’s like you and unnie entered a carnival together, taking on that scary rollercoaster side-by-side, but when the ride stops, you find yourself alone and unnie has scurried off to another ride without you. The thing is, she’s not leaving you permanently because she’s trying on something else. She’ll still come back for you at the end of the day. That’s how friendships work. We can’t be with each other twenty-four-seven, but we manage to be there when it counts.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Why aren’t you afraid?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Afraid of unnie opening herself up to other people? It shouldn’t be feared of. We have to allow her explore, be it to develop a friendship or a relationship. She’s seventeen, Wannie, a year older than you and me. Dating is unavoidable at our age.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“She could forget about us.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Wan. She won’t. You have to trust her. Whoever <em>J </em>is, you have to consider, unnie isn’t similar to you and me. We’re very vocal. Unnie, however, she’s…she thinks of the suitable timing to lay it on us. You could’ve asked her directly, even though she might’ve refused to answer. But meddling wasn’t the proper solution.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I…it’s because I—”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Excuse me. Hi.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>“Oh, hello. What can we do for you?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Are you Joo—I mean, Irene-unnie’s friends?”</em> </strong>
</p><p> </p><p>“We are. I’m Seulgi, and this glum-bum is Wendy.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong><em>“Nice to meet you both. I’m her cousin, Jennie. She’s told me </em>sooo<em> much about you guys.”</em></strong>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Has she?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Please, forgive her. She’s a little worn out.”</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“It’s cool. And um…do you know what time unnie will be off?”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>“A little while if she’s not doing anything.”</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“I have these clothes delivered for her.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>“What for?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>“A rehearsal of sorts. For the program. Ring any bell? The program wherein she was handpicked by the dean to emcee for. She’s been antsy about it since it’ll be her first in front of the entire school. She would’ve said it to you.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>“…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Or not. Oh God. Oh no.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>“Hey, Jennie, it’s okay. We won’t utter a word. We’ll pretend to be surprised like we haven’t had a clue.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>“You’re a life-saver. Could you just take these to her for me? I can’t go up to your floor since it’s the rules. Tell her it’s from J.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“You’re J?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Yup, it’s her nickname for me.”</em> </strong>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Seulgi.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Yeah, Wannie?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I have—I have to, uh. Shit. You keep Jennie company. I have to do something!”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Okay.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Will she be alright?”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>“She thought unnie’s seeing someone. Specifically, you and—gosh, I know right? That was my face too! And she’s been a grump because unnie hasn’t told us. But <em>phew! </em>This explains it.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Hmm, she’s not wrong.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>“Sorry, what is she not wrong about?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>“About unnie seeing someone.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>“She is?! What, when, who?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>“You didn’t know..?”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>“No. You’re not in trouble, Jennie. I’ll handle unnie for you.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Just started this week. A guy from her class she says.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>“Is it…Jackson Wang?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>“No, no. P—something. His name rhymes with bubblegum.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>“…Park Bogum?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Yes! Him. Unnie has been seeing Park Bogum.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>-</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Irene-unnie’s relationship status spread like wildfire in our school and the neighboring high schools. It burned the hopes of her cult of suitors who some had, I kid you not, mourned for their “loss”. Some guys would have their elbows propped on the table, chine on their hand, and zone out into a wall. Such sad little men. Their hopeless crush on unnie were a pitiful sight I’d behold in between classes. The fantasies they had of sweeping her off her feet were extinguished by Park Bogum.</p><p>I was happy for unnie. Sincerely happy. Though I was torn with feeling unrelied on, only finding out about her boyfriend because Jennie had exposed it. It got me to sympathize with how Wendy had felt in relation to being left in the dark. Unnie was withholding vital information, but it was an information she was to disseminate at her own pace. She was waiting for their dating period to pass a week, said it would’ve made her confident of their relationship, before Jennie went ahead and accidentally revealed it.</p><p>Wendy, how should I say this, flipped? I’m not referring to <em>flipping out</em>—Wendy is no violent woman—but I’m referring to going on a one-eighty in her attitude towards unnie. It wasn’t as remarkable as her change after our junior year winter break, which you’ll hear more at another segment in the story, but it was noticeable for me to detect. She’d mellowed out from her meddling and made amends. Somehow, I just couldn’t placate my inner musings.</p><p>I was curious, so I asked unnie about their conversation. Her giving me the vaguest description of “we settled our business” had been the indicator that it was something far deeper than that. Wendy was surely rattled by the revelation. Neither of us saw it coming. Their reconciliation phase was awkward. Wendy’s stuttering. Irene-unnie’s silences. I was praying for the ground to swallow me from the awkwardness.</p><p>Both of them alone in a room was excruciating. I’m not an eavesdropper. Cross my heart. I was just there at the right place at the right time, concealing myself behind the door of unnie’s classroom as she and Wendy talk.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Um. Hi.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Hi.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Midterm exam results were given.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Yup.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong><em>“</em>…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Are you—I could help you—”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Would you…do you—”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Son Seungwan.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Ye—huh?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Relax.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“It’s, um. Yeah. Relax. Yes. I…I heard about your test scores? From Seulgi.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“They’re…hanging in there.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p><em>“I can t—tutor you—well, I </em>will <em>because I’m your best friend and I wanna see you pass.”</em></p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“You mean that?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“I want the three of us to graduate to—”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“The best friend part.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“I haven’t been the prime example of a best friend, have I? I may sound like a broken record to you but I really am sorry. I did unspeakable things to you and I’ll do everything, as long as it takes, to regain our friendship.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“I see your efforts, Wendy.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“And—oh, your phone’s ringing.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“It’s Bogum. I’m meeting him at the library. He…found out about my scores as well. He’s tutoring me Calculus.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Oh.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“But, maybe you can do English with me?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“I wouldn’t mind at all. We can arrange a schedule?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Yeah. Text or call me tonight. Whichever.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“I will. I-I’ll get going then. Can’t stall you from studying.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Right.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Wendy.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Yes?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“You’ll always be my best friend okay?”</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“And you’ll always be my Hyunnie too.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>I’m blind. Not in a literal sense. Okay, I do have problems with my eyesight. Sue me. I was saying I am blind, <em>figuratively speaking. </em>I’m the opposite of Jisoo who can decrypt the footing of a person through her observations. The woman could be a detective someday. I can’t do decrypting. Situations have to be spelled out for me. I won’t be sure of what’s going on unless someone explains it to me, word-for-word. Sehun said I was the perfect member for the opposing team on last weekend’s game night. Charades is my kryptonite.</p><p>Being blind eyesight-wise also means I am worthless on Easter Egg Hunts. Hunting for people? Just ban me from search parties. I think I walked around school for an hour that afternoon searching for Wendy. She failed to snag the main role for a play she had auditioned for. I was dumbfounded. She was Eliza in My Fair Lady. Going from lead role to being demoted to a character with few scenes got her dejected.</p><p>Unnie was interviewing the basketball team for the school paper. She’d seen the casting results and came to me to help find Wendy. Since she couldn’t, I had to find her myself. Wendy was crouched at the perimeter of the soccer field, somewhere I had been at, yanking out the overgrown grass in the most helpless I’d caught her in.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Wannie?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Son Seungwan!”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Oh. Seul. Hi.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“I’ve been searching everywhere for you.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“You’ve passed by me. Thrice.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Darn it.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I was just hanging around the field by myself. For a breather.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Do you mind if I hang around here with you?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I suppose having a companion beats being on my lonesome.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Seulgi?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Yes?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Have you…have you ever wanted something so bad but you couldn’t have it?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“I wanted a remote-controlled robot dog when I was younger. Around five or six. Does that apply?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Hmm. Yeah. It does. Why couldn’t you have the robot dog?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“My mom said it was pricey for them to purchase as my Christmas gift. I bawled full-on at the mall ‘cause they wouldn’t get it. It didn’t occur to my pea-brain that we were scrimping on money. Dad’s job was unstable then. He promised to get me a better one, but I eventually forgot the dog. I do remember having a better Christmas when my dad earned a promotion the next year.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Hey. Rejection isn’t the end of the world, Wan. It happens to everybody. This failure doesn’t define your future. The role just wasn’t destined to be yours. But give it your all with the role you’ve landed. You have to power through. Don’t give up auditioning on the upcoming plays. There will be more roles for you to grab.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Yeah. More roles for me to grab.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>this chapter has more newer content than the last, what do you guys think of it? and to the rereaders, i kindly ask of you not to mention any future event that happened in the original version as it may still be included in this version. so please, read this as if it's your first time :)</p><p> </p><p>coming up: climax</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. climax part one</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p> </p><p>Park Bogum was every parents’ dream guy for their offspring. He was a gentleman, respectful towards everybody, mindful of where his hands belonged on unnie and he played along with our sense of humor which is very essential to me as my best friend’s boyfriend. It wasn’t because it was my opinion regarding unnie’s relationship that mattered, but unnie was happy her best friends had a stable relationship with him. He was the holy grail of boyfriends so to speak.</p><p>Other guys paled in comparison. No offense to them, wherever they are. They did concede to the fact they couldn’t top Bogum’s winning qualities. He just raised the bar higher for the competition, unreachable for them to surpass his standards. Those former fanboys of unnie were most likely conscious of how suitable Bogum was for her, personality-wise and well, appearance-wise. They walked together around school as if they had stepped down from a billboard or a fashion catalogue.</p><p>I liked him. Wendy liked him. Their pairing was a no-brainer. You have the most beautiful girl and the most handsome guy in school. They were a visual overload. Superficiality aside, Bogum had the brains to back up his looks too.</p><p>Irene-unnie undoubtedly has the hots for charming and smiley brainiacs. Her future dating pattern in college would check out—oh, shoot. Am I revealing too much? I’ll stop here for now then.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Guess what I got.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“It’s not a dead body, is it?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Dude, why would I—just guess again.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Give me a hint.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Ice.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Bingsu?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“No.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Milkshakes?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“No.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Ice cream cake?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Why are all your guesses food? I’ve got us four free tickets to the skating rink!”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“This is awesome! Who’s the fourth person?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Hey, Bogum!”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Hey, Wen. Seul.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I’ve got an extra ticket to the skating rink. Join us this weekend. Unnie would love for you to be there with us.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Thanks, yeah, I’ll be there. Has Irene been told of the plan yet?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>“Right. Unnie isn’t fond of the cold.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“No, I was sorta hoping you’d cajole her to be on board with it. Tell her it’ll be fun!”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Say no more. I’ll convince her.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“You’re the best!”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Gotta go meet the guys at the basketball court. I’ll text you how it goes. Bye!”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>“Bye, Bogum!”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Thanks again!”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“He’s a great guy.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Yup, he is.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>_</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Wendy carried her academic prowess onto a higher tier, applying to become a student-tutor. She’s gifted like that. Smart and has a bottomless amount of patience for people. I can be patient, though staying on a singular topic is a hurdle I can’t leap over. You know how I am. I can babble into a tagent about a variety of topics at a time, never settling on a particular one. Jennie says Lisa and I are kindred spirits because we have the attention span of a loaf of bread. You could only imagine the—sorry, I’m doing it again. I’m working on my focus.</p><p>So, going back to Wendy. She’s greasy. Like the fryers of a fast food chain. She would ooze out cheesiness like it’s a second nature to her. When a person retaliates, however, she morphs into this awkward stunned Chihuahua, shaking and jittery with her eyes bugged out, and Park Sooyoung would revel in her panicked reactions since Wendy <em>couldn’t </em>seem to function humanly. I’ll tell you more about Park Sooyoung shortly. What I’m saying is that, Wendy sucked in replying to flirtatious advances.</p><p>Some definitely had hidden agendas in becoming her tutee. We’re discussing about Son Seungwan who has charmed hundreds in her lifetime. But she was strict with her principles. This was before she began to use her charms for, uh, less innocent purposes so she had maintained her relationships with her tutees on a professional level.</p><p>For that brief period.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Is the person you’re tutoring really coming? ‘Cause it’s been twenty minutes and the theater’s air conditioning is busted.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“No idea but I can’t abandon her. She needs this. And I can’t tutor her at the library because I tend to lose myself in a speech when I’m explaining concepts.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Mother Wenresa.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“She’s my understudy for the play and she can’t be given better roles if she’s flunking.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“You are a living saint, Wannie.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Eh.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Thoughts on Bogum?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“That’s random. Why?”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Asking. They’ve been going for, what, three months so…just asking.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“He’s a great guy. I’ve said this then. Model student. Treats Irene the way she deserves to be treated. I have no complaints.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“You’re really cool with him?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I am. I did some reflecting before talking to Hyun after the fight we had before.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“How did was that for you?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Those five minutes of me running up the building got me praying that she just takes me back as her best friend. It was a spiritual journey of dry heaving, Seul.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“Wan! Your hoobae is here.”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Wendy! Wendy! I’m not late!”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“It’s Wendy-unnie, Rosie. I’m your senior.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Yeah but with a junior height.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“Oh gosh, I’m loving this kid!”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>“How are the people younger than us so tall? Was there something our parents forgot to feed us?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I thought Park Sooyoung was freakishly large but then this behemoth comes up.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Orrr, you’re all just freakishly tiny itty-bitty hamsters. Not them. Just you, Wendy. Boop.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Don’t boop my nose. I’m not a hamster!”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“Her butt makes up for it, anyway.”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You don’t say? Lemme see.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Rosie, go aw—"</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Oh, daaamn. Nice butt.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Goddamnit, Irene.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“Crap. Bogum just texted me the soccer team’s in chaos at practice since their captain isn’t there. Someone has challenged Jennie to do a penalty kick on a water bottle balanced on this person’s head.”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Fifty thousand won says that person is Lisa.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“I have to go check on her.”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Jisoo can handle that. She’s the co-captain.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“He said she’s filming a video of it.”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>“That’s…yeah. She would do that.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Fascinating. Have fun watching Jennie rearrange someone’s face!”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“God, this girl, I swear. Why is she so competitive?”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Look who’s talking.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“So it’s in our genes. Sue me. I’ll catch you later, guys!”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“…”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“What is it, Rosie?”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You and Irene would’ve been cute together.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Uh, she’s my best friend and she has a boyfriend.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You guys have this…tension.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Wha—”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Seulgi!”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Ew, come on, Seul! You spat on me.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“I—I choked on my drink.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“You alright?”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Mhmm. You can resume talking about this <em>tension</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“The only tension we’ll be talking about is the surface tension in her chemistry notes. This is what you get for taking advanced classes so crack those books open, Rosie!”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“No fun.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>_</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Helpfulness is a value the school has been ingraining into our practices. You’re accustomed to this. We would have those fundraising activities such as the school’s summer festival and the community bake sale to help our chosen cause for the year. Our class had won a free pass from any booth responsibility after we were awarded for having the best dance interpretation for World History. I’ll be tooting my own horn for our win. I’m proud to say that I choreographed the heck out of Roman soldiers getting their butt kicked by the Ottoman Empire. It does sound bizarre. Not sure how our teacher came up with that.</p><p>I was engrossed with thinking that <em>yay we get a free pass, </em>and there wouldn’t be a shift to be heedful of as our class wouldn’t be having a booth to supervise. Wan and I were going to enjoy every millisecond we had to goof off, scour for treats and maybe visit Irene-unnie’s booth. Those were what I had in mind. What I didn’t have in mind was to be at the Home Economics room in the middle of bingsu preparations and baking cookies, lending a hand to the Student Council.</p><p>You see, Wendy has a big hear to match the <em>“girl with a heart that’s bigger than her body”</em> whose identity flew above my head. She suddenly dragged me, grilled pork skewers in my grip, to the Home Economics room saying, “Yong needs our help” without further elaboration. You must have recalled me mentioning Yong’s name a while ago. She’s important. I’ll be getting to her.</p><p>About the help, I didn’t protest. The Student Council must be in desperation if their Vice President sought for our help. Then Yong went in the Home Economics room, thanking us for our assistance to the council’s shorthanded task of serving snacks and refreshments to the visiting faculty of the neighboring school. She said we didn’t have to and she appreciated the offer. That’s when I realized that Wendy had taken it upon herself and had gone out of her way for us to be of service.</p><p>I’m not invalidating her generosity, but she had this bias concerning Yong. How? It just showed.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Okay, Seulgi, start grinding.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“What, why are you dancing. I meant the ice, Seul. Start grinding the ice? For the bingsu?”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Huh? Oh.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Are you feeling unwell? You were all spaced out.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Hmm? Uh, yeah. Yeah. Lacked some sleep. Scrolled through many cat videos last night.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Your neighbor got you hooked on those, huh?”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“They’re funny! And cute. She’s lucky she has three cats of her own.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“Knock, knock!”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Hey, Hyun. Jennie. Come inside. We’re a bit of a mess. We’ve agreed to help prep snacks for the visiting faculty today.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“The Home Economics room has never smelled this heavenly.”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Nuh-uh. No touchy! Like I said, it’s for the club.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“Just one—”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Hands off the cookie jar, Hyun!”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“Rude. I still hate how you two are classmates.”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Because you get to miss me more?”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“On second thought, I’m enjoying the distance.”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>“What’s going on with you, Jennie?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“This girl in my class is a nightmare. Tolerating her five days a week has been hell, but on our weekend soccer practices too? An atrocity!”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>“Who’s this devil you speak of?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Lisa.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>“Lalisa Manoban? She’s my neighbor!”</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Ugh. My condolences.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>“She’s fun to be with.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Everyone is fun to be with for you, unnie.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“Give the girl a chance, Jennie. Wendy was an annoying prick when we were twelve but if I hadn’t given her the benefit of the doubt, we wouldn’t be best friends.”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>“Aww, that’s sweet.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“She just called me an annoying prick, Seul.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I suppose…I could lighten up.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“That’s the spirit!”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Sooyoung texted me. Our shift is starting. Good luck with your preparations!”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>“Thanks, Jennie!”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Bye!”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“Bye, J!”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>“…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Are those cookies I smell?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“These are not for your consumption, June.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Can’t your Student Council Secretary have a bite?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I’ll be participating in the council’s corruption if I give you one.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Fine, fine, I’m going.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“That boy was hungry, Wendy.”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Boys are always hungry, Hyun.”</em>
</p><p>
  <b>“You’re overdramatic.”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“It’s why I’m in theater.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“…”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Checking in on this catastrophic chamber of sweet goodness.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Welcome back, Miss President.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, Yong!”</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“Hello, Yongsun.”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“The chocolate chip cookies are divine! I can’t thank you enough. They must be delicious, Wendy.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“You know what they say, you are what you eat.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“…”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>“Oh God, Wannie.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Did you have to take a bite after saying that? You are so greasy!”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“And you’re not exactly complaining.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“And you’re not exactly wrong.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Care for a bite? It’s from a fresh batch.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Don’t mind if I do. I have to get back to Student Council with the refreshments. Thanks for the sweets, Wendy!”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Sweet treats for a sweet lady!”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Yongsun is a sweet lady.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“What was that?”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“What was what?”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“You let her have it so easy. Aren’t these for the guests?”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“It was one cookie, Hyun.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>_</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>By November, unnie and Bogum had been dating for seven months. He was pleasant as an added companion to our hang-outs. His best friend, Eunwoo, was Jisoo’s boyfriend of two years so Jisoo would tag with us whenever the school held basketball games, and the boys in turn would sit with us whenever Jisoo had her soccer matches along Lisa and Jennie in the team. Rosie was beyond Wendy’s understudy and tutee, clinging onto her like a koala because she reminded her of her older sister in Australia. If she would spot us during those events, she would squeeze herself in next to Wendy. Our friend group had widened its circle.</p><p>But on the same month, unnie and Bogum shocked us with their break-up. I was unaware they were having problems, neither did anyone else. They seemed content with each other to me. Perhaps <em>that </em> was the problem. It was a mutual decision, unnie said, their relationship had gone stagnant, feeling like it was going nowhere. They had split amicably. There was no crying, no hateful words thrown, no resentment towards the other. It was the cleanest break-up I had seen.</p><p>Our friendship with the guys wasn’t shaken from their break-up, although Bogum had stopped hanging around with us and spent more time with his basketball friends. He didn’t become a stranger, he would give us friendly waves, occasionally talking with us. He had simply moved on. Yeah, he and Eunwoo were best friends. I had somewhat anticipated for Eunwoo to withdraw from our meet-ups, but he would continue to sit with us during Jisoo’s matches because he said—still says—we’re fun people to hang with. They were great guys.</p><p>Koo Junhoe wasn’t so great. He wasn’t in our friend group, but he was the boys’ teammate in basketball. He had this blaringly obvious thing for Wendy, dipping in our seats on the bleachers while watching the soccer matches, even though Wendy had already rejected him thrice. His position on the Student Council didn’t eliminate my negative judgment on his player-like habits, thus the “wasn’t so great” comment I made. The guy was a grade-A jerk, and I was worried he would hurt Wendy.</p><p>Little did I know it would be the other way around.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Are you really fine with watching the game, unnie?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“For the millionth time, yes, I will be. I’m not made of glass, Seul. I won’t be shattered by seeing him on the court. We’re in one class if you’ve forgotten. Bogum and I remain friends. No hard feelings.”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>“Aren’t fresh break-ups painful?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“Contrary to what the movies show you, not every break-up is painful. People deal with them differently. I do get sad from the loss of my relationship, but mostly, I’m feeling pretty okay. We broke it off before things could get messy.”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>“Ah. Gotcha.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“Will anyone tell me why we’re sitting at the very back instead of our usual seats at the front?”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>“Koo Junhoe invited Wannie to the game.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“Oh?”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“He might get the wrong idea if we sit at the front.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“Why the wrong idea?”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>“Koo Junhoe likes Wendy.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Koo Junhoe likes to get into my pants.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“Wendy! Don’t be crass.”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>“Can’t say she’s lying.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>_</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Every winter break, Wendy’s family fly to Canada and spend the holidays there with her older sister. Most of their extended family live in Toronto too. The Christmas season then became this family reunion Wendy would look forward to at the end of the year. She would send us photos to update us on what she and her family would be doing, making gingerbread houses and snowboarding with her cousins. Stuff like that.</p><p>The winter break of junior year was a notable one. Wendy’s cousins had whisked her away to California, forsaking the awfully harsh cold of the Canadian winter. I presumed her days would be stacked with going to the beaches, having fun at Disneyland and other touristy California-related activities I had seen on TV. Three days in to her one-week stay in LA, Wendy pings our group chat with a blurry selfie with bottles of alcohol lurking in the background. Her cousin had a friend living in downtown who was notorious for staging legendary parties and they had taken her with them for the experience. Unnie and I didn’t get any detailed follow-up stories the next day, just said she was doing alright and that the party was a load of fun.</p><p>When Wendy returns home to Seoul, I couldn’t recognize her. In a physical sense. She had trimmed her hair into wavy layers. Got bangs that covered up her forehead. A good haircut could do <em>so much</em>, and she was also shrouded by an air of confidence that people fawned over. It was a monumental change. She had gotten bolder, a smidge cockier. I had <em>hoobaes</em> from the softball team asking for her number. She upped her flirting game! She had these signature wink and lazy half-smile as her ammunition, stirring the school’s dating population.</p><p>Wendy was a jittery Chihuahua no more.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“How do you differentiate flirting and being friendly?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>“It depends on the delivery, I suppose. When someone is being friendly towards you, they’ll appear casual and relaxed. Kinda how we are. Flirting, I’d say, has the person’s intentions engraved on their actions. They give you longer eye contact. They’re on the touchier side.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Wow, how have you dissected these? Haven’t you been single since forever?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>“General observations. What made you ask?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I half-expected you to tell me to ask somebody else ‘cause you have no—”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>“I’m referring to your flirty versus friendly question.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Oh! I was people-gazing on the bleachers, and Wendy-unnie was with Yongsun-unnie by the soccer field.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>“What were they doing?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Chatting and, based from what you’ve described, flirting in broad daylight. I was analyzing Wendy-unnie’s behavior. Take notes or something so I could test it out.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>“Test it out? On who?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“On Je—someone. Unimportant.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>“Were you going to say—”</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Darn, look at the time, I have to be somewhere, bye!”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>“You’re not wearing a watch, Lisa!”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>_</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Sleepover series number three. What were we doing? I can’t remember to be frank. Five years sounds like an eternity has passed. My memories of our sleepovers would sometimes overlap with one another, and I get them jumbled up. It’s hard to figure out the exact events of that evening. It was just one of those nights of mundane teenage shenanigans. Nothing special. We must have watched a movie or played on my Wii or talked about our futures which we habitually did on sleepovers. College was closing in.</p><p>I do remember that this was a week before the spring semester of our senior year. And like clockwork, I fell asleep first then was woken up hours later by Wendy’s and unnie’s dimmed conversation. As you can guess, yes, I did eavesdrop on them. How else would I be telling you this?</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Hyun.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“Hmm?”</b>
</p><p> </p><p><em>“Why are you </em>waaay <em>over there?”</em></p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“What do you mean?”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I could park a car with the space you left between us. Scoot closer.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“Better?”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Yup. Warm and toasty. You can’t sleep?”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“Nope.”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Me neither.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“Can you tell me about California. I’ve been dying to know. You weren’t being generous on the details.”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“It’s kind of…”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“I won’t be judging you, silly.”</b>
</p><p> </p><p><em>“Okay. Yeah. Um. The party was </em>crazy. <em>Had drinks everywhere. I had built a decent alcohol tolerance from my cousins and from sneaking a sip of beer and soju at home. My drinking capacity kept me sober. At the party, I met this Korean-American girl while I refilled my cup at the kitchen. Her name was Krystal. She was a little tipsy, but she could carry conversation fairly. We were talking, just the both of us, then we went to talk more at the basement.”</em></p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“And?”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“She kissed me. I kissed her back. My head was reeling as we made out on the couch. She was very…experienced.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“Oh.”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“Did you two..?”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I had to put a stop to when it was escalating. I wasn’t ready. It’s a huge step to take, yeah?”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“Bogum and I…we hadn’t gone very far.”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Oh. Sorry. I shouldn’t have assumed—”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“It’s okay. I was like you. I wasn’t ready.”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“He didn’t force you or anything, did he?”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“No, nothing like that, Bogum was very patient and gentle.”</b>
</p><p> </p><p><em>“Can’t agree likewise for Krystal. She was </em>wild, <em>pulled out all the stops kind of wild. She—um, talking about this isn’t weird, right?”</em></p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“Not at all.”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Cool.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“Were there…did you kiss anyone else after California?”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Yeah. I did. Yesterday.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“Who?”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Park Sooyoung.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“Oh.”</b>
</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>decided to split the climax into two parts, the second part being longer and heavier</p><p>sorry it's taken me 2 months to update this again, but i've made up my mind to finish IBTL for the month of august. whatever thoughts you have for this chapter, let me know below :)</p><p>for updates and chapter previews, you call follow me on twitter @twt_throwaway18</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. climax part two</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p> </p><p>The following morning, Wendy told me about Krystal from Califronia and her recent kiss with Sooyoung over breakfast even though I had already heard the details the previous night. It was unnecessary, but I wasn’t going to interject her storytelling. Wendy had this glint in her eyes, sparkling with excitement, and I was just endeared to have my best friend be comfortable in speaking about her sexuality.</p><p>Sooyoung was a chatty person. She gushed about their rendezvous at the local mall to someone, and that someone told someone, who told someone, and blah blah blah. Wendy practically claimed the story to anyone who asked, dispelling the students saying it was a dumb rumor to make our school lives less boring.</p><p>At the beginning of our senior year, Wendy’s openness drew more and more admirers at school. Girls who I had no suspicions of being gay or bi came out. There weren’t direct confessions to Wendy, but there were admissions from girls saying they had a crush on her. She and I were in one class again so I had people hounding me inquiring about, “Is she not interested in anybody?” and “Do you think she’ll like me back if I do this or that?” I couldn’t provide a sure-fire answer. That was something only Wendy herself can give. She was everyone’s eye-candy. They greasy pick-up lines, her talent in singing, her flirtatious personality, they were very alluring qualities to the ladies and gents.</p><p>Craziest part was, she did give in to Koo Junhoe’s advances. The grapevine disseminated information faster than I had finished peeing. I was inside the cubicle as a group of girls were squealing about Wendy kissing Junoe. Spin the bottle at the theater they said. There weren’t any teachers. I confronted Wendy and she confirmed it. She said she had also kissed this other girl. My best friend was on a roll.</p><p>Anyhow, her soft spot for unnie hadn’t withered. She was at her beck and call, dropping everything she was doing if she caught wind of unnie in distress. One time, unnie was in PE class when her period came. Wendy snuck out of our class to buy unnie some pads. She got into detention. The girls were swooning over her “romantic” gesture.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Seul, why isn’t Wan in your classroom?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“She’s at the counselor’s office for detention.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Wendy has detention?!”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“She did run out of class to buy you your pads.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“What?!”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“She couldn’t sit still when you texted us. Neither of us had any spare. We had our experiment worksheet to fill out in the Chemistry lab, and she completed hers in five minutes and gave the excuse to Mr. Lee that she had to go to the restroom. Rosie said she got caught on their floor after coming back from the gym.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“What the heck? She lied to me! She told me I texted her at the perfect timing because a teacher requested to run an errand for her. I’m appreciative of her buying me pads, but breaking the rules is inexcusable. Once I get my hands on her…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“You guys looking for Wendy?”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>“She’s in detention, Jisoo.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Oof. Yeah. I’m straining to grasp that she’s become this rule-breaking baddie. Earning detention for PDA? Never would have imagined.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“Did you say PDA?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Yeah. Got caught making out with Koo Junhoe, adding to being on Jennie’s floor when it’s a restricted area to upperclassmen. Two offenses in one day.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>“Holy crap.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Losing their virginity was a topic my friends rarely spoke about. It wasn’t a crime to delve into the topic, although sex was largely taboo to be inserted into our conversations. The teachings in school would emphasize on the importance on saving yourself before marriage, barely dwelling on the methods of safe sex, as if they could totally inspire everyone to abstain. Teenagers are raging with hormones. A number of them won’t be celibate by graduation. Just stating the facts.</p><p>This isn’t an encouragement for you to have sex while being in high school. Your sister would kill me. I’m just presenting to you the reality. You may be hearing other kids shrugging about popping their cherry like it’s no big deal, but it really is a big step to take. Do it when you’re confident you’re ready. Don’t have sex for the sake of the other person. Sex <em>should </em>be consensual.</p><p>Jisoo mumbled to me an offhanded remark during a sex-ed talk that it really does take two to tango. I hadn’t construed the meaning of what she said straightaway, and no I won’t be answering you about the stats of my v-card since this isn’t about me. This is about my best friend.</p><p>Wendy fooled around, but to the extent of her fooling around, unnie and I weren’t briefed into the particulars. It had been common knowledge to everyone that she wasn’t looking to be committed. She said it herself. Relationships were deemed distracting and draining to her, with exerting the effort and dedicating a certain time for your significant other and whatnot. She preferred the thrill of a short-term, no strings attached canoodling much to my disapproval. It was a road I didn’t peg for her to drive into, but I wasn’t going to control her over it. I do wish I had been firmer on my stand against it. You can’t kiss someone then cast them aside like they’re disposable hand towels.</p><p>Same applies to sex.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“You seeing Koo Junhoe again?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“He’s alright when he isn’t talking, which is convenient on my end. I’m not seeing for an intelligible exchange. I have my Student Council friends for that.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Out of the guys in our school, you just had to go for Koo Junhoe, huh?”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>“He isn’t clingy and he’s got these nice toned arms. A basketball player’s physique. You would know, Jisoo.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>“I love my boyfriend for more than just his arms. And abs.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>“Besides, Eunwoo isn’t a jerk.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“You two don’t ever sway the opportunity to gang up on me when it comes to him.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“You don’t listen anyway.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Yet, you still love me anyway. Isn’t that right, Hyun?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Your life. Your choice.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“There’s a supportive best friend. If you’ll excuse me, I have places to be and—”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Hey, Wannie, something fell out of your pocket!”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“You bring a ramyeon seasoning packet with you?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Uh, you don’t have to pick that up, Jisoo.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“This is a condom.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Son Seungwan. Are you..?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Whoops, I gotta go, later gator!”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“…”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“At least she’s safe?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“It’s…whatever.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>-</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>There are obvious signs of attraction. For some, it’s the straightforward affirmations and grand gestures. You and unnie have had guys from your class professing their attraction by sending you gifts, anonymous love letters and dedicating love songs to you. Lisa poked her nose into Jennie’s business whenever and however she can so Jennie could give her a smidgen of her attention. I don’t have to expound on those. The examples are self-explanatory.</p><p>For some, their attraction is guised under thinly veiled indifference and a mask of denial. These are the people who refuse to accept they’re attracted to this specific person. Their aversion from the acknowledgement provides them the illusion that whatever they feel isn’t real. Ignorance is bliss. They can be experts at hiding their emotions. But often times, a speck of their feelings surfaces at given circumstances, unearthed by a trigger, shooting through their mask point-blank.</p><p>The denial doesn’t evaporate in an instant, but the truth slowly crawls up to them, punctuated in a single defining moment.</p><p>Where unnie is classified under? You decide.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>“I owe you one for this, Seulgi.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>“You owe me nothing, Taeyeon-unnie. Sketching is my favorite pastime. Very therapeutic. Frankly, I’d do this over studying. I hope what I’m doing will go well with the theme of little Yeri’s poem.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Yeri, I’m going to meet Sooyoung-unnie and Tiffany-unnie. I need you to be on your best behavior. Don’t leave the park without any of the unnis. If you gotta pee, tell them. If you see a duck, tell them you’re scared. If you’re restless, do not go out of their sight. If possible, just please, please, please glue your butt to this blanket on the grass. Understood?”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“We’ll take it from here, unnie.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Thank you for babysitting, guys. See you in a couple of hours!”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>“…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Is she your girlfriend?”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“Wha—who?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“The smaller one.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“Hey, I’m not small!”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Who said it was you?”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong><em>“Ha! You should have seen your face! It </em>is <em>you. Duh!”</em></strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“Irene and I are of the same height!”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Correction. I’m taller by two centimeters, thank you very much.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Barely noticeable.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“I don’t care about your small problems. So? Girlfriends?”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“We’re not, you little demon.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Wendy. She’s ten.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“A ten year-old demon.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“You guys hold hands all the time.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“Best friends do that.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Yeah.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“And I can’t help it if Irene can’t resist me—ow!”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Wendy!”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“’Cause you’re so small?”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“You’re smaller than I am, you gremlin.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“I’m only ten and I can overpower you in a few years. Back to my question, so you’re really not girlfriends?”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“No.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“But she sits on your lap?”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“Yes.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“So do other girls.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“And you sometimes kiss her?”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“Platonic kisses on the cheek.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“She kisses everyone.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“But you’re not together?”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“Nope.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“This is middle school all over again.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Okay. Irene-unnie can do better anyway.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“Listen here you little shi—”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Lookie, Yeri! How’s this sketch?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Woooah, that is so cool! So, so cool. I love it! You’re super awesome, Seulgi-unnie!”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>“Aww, thanks for the hug, you cutie!”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Careful, Seulgi. Demons come in an array of shapes and sizes.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“But you can’t relate since you’ve been one size your entire life.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“That’s it!”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Watch your step, both of you!”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Tae-unnie! I’m being chased by a gerbil!”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>“What a weird way to bond.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Wendy! Don’t tickle her too much, she has a tiny bladder!”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Yeah, Wendy, do what your girlfriend says!”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“We are not girlfriends!”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Yet!”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“She’s my best friend. I wouldn’t date her, you heathen.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Then who would you date, Wannie?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Hmm. Let me think. There’s Park Sooyoung, but I’ll admit that I’ll mainly be in it for her long legs. There’s Koo Junhoe too, but yes, he is the ultimate jerk and he can be a literal dickhead at times. So…no one.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“What’s with all the flirting then?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“All in the name of good fun, Hyun. But if I really have to choose, it would have to be…Kim Yongsun.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Shit!”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Dropped my apple on the grass. My bad.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Unnie. You cursed!”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Haha, shit!”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>“Uh-oh.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Directly within the child’s hearing range, Hyun? We can’t return her swearing like a sailor to Taeyeon-unnie. She’ll have our heads mounted on pitchforks!”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“I don’t swear with unnie. I’m not stupid. Fany-unnie said I’ll just have to say it with my inside voice so she won’t know.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“This kid’s trained.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“So why not date Irene-unnie?”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“Because, pure innocent Yeri, best friends do not date each other, nor should they develop feelings for each other. That would be wrong and extremely complicated. There’s a lot at stake, so the universe would be at peace if best friends stay best friends. Am I right?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Hyun?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“What?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Am I right?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“About?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Best friends staying best friends?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Oh. Um. Yes. Best friends stay best friends.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Get what I’m saying, Yeri?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Unnie, your apple is rolling away.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Let’s discuss your favorite female artist, Joy. Or Park Sooyoung as she had been known in high school. The girl had been a prominent beauty and had a sizeable quantity of fanboys that rivaled Irene unnie’s cult. She was signed to an entertainment company in her freshman year. Her face had already been plastered on TV, appearing in commercials and this boy group’s music video. Did some modelling for school uniforms. She had a taste of fame even then. We had this one guy from another high school who was so devoted to her and would shriek her name at the top of his lungs. Guy must have stretched his vocal cords. I have to commend on his loyalty. He’s the president of Joy’s fanclub now.</p><p>We weren’t close but she and Jennie were, so my sources for anything Sooyoung-related came from her. She didn’t go out with anyone when she studied there as her contract prohibited her from being in a relationship, but she was, similar to Wendy, a resident flirt in our school. The term “relationship” wasn’t properly delineated in her contract and Sooyoung seized it as a loophole to kiss whoever she pleased without labelling what they have.</p><p>And when I say whoever, that whoever points to Wendy. Sooyoung had randomly disclosed to me how Wendy is such a good kisser and has a “talent with her tongue”, an info I didn’t have to live with. I could have gone my merry way without the scarring enlightenment of her kissing skills.</p><p>Besides sucking each other’s faces, Wendy had tutored her after classes. Sooyoung had a ton of catching up to do due to her daily training. Trainee life was a life of sleepless nights, she’d groan to us. She was marking her path to stardom, but she had to graduate high school first.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>“This is it? This is all I have to do?”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“Yup. As long as you’re familiar with the process, you won’t have trouble solving other problems. They sort of correlate with each other so doing these practice exercises would be the best training to understand the basics.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Holy shit. I’m understanding math. Thank you, Wenwen. You are a life saver.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“Am I now?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Hi there, Sooyoung. Getting comfy and snug on Wendy’s lap?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>“The best seat in the house. How could I ever repay you?”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“My legs are feeling numb. Maybe by getting off my lap?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong><em>“You are </em>sooo<em> enjoying this, Wendy. Don’t lie.”</em></strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“Well…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Excuse me, Sooyoung.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Unnie, you’re done packing your stuff?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Yes, Irene-unnie?”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“Second years can’t be on our floor.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Oh?”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“It’s against the rules.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Loosen up, unnie, why don’t you? You’ll be having wrinkles by twenty if you continue to frown like that. This Brainiac friend of yours was just teaching me Calculus.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“On her lap?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“My brain stimulates better when I’m comfy. But I suppose I have overstayed my welcome. Jennie is probably wondering where I went. Thanks again, Wendy.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“Sure. If you need more tutoring, give me a call.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“What if I don’t need more tutoring?”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“You know where to find me.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“You are such a baller, Wenwen, but I’ll be in touch.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“I’ll be checking my phone more frequently then.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“This is why I like you. Goodbye for now.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“Bye, Sooyoung.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Bye!”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Wenwen?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“She thinks it’s cute. And you were kinda mean, Hyun. She’s failing Calculus. You would sympathize with the struggle.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Rules are rules, Seungwan.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Classes are over, why are you being nitpicky about this? Jennie does come up sometimes. Lisa too. Hell, Rosie high-fives our teachers up here freely and they don’t budge. Do you have some prejudice against Sooyoung?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Okay, okay, breathe you two. The stress of the upcoming college entrance exams is wearing us out. Why don’t we head on out and grab some ice cream?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I could use some.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Fine.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Since someone needs to chill…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“What did you say?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Nothing.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Up to this day, my favorite performance of Wendy’s would have to be her duet with Eric Nam for the school’s autumn talent showcase. Eric was this rare boy who didn’t harbor any attraction for Wendy. They were both theater geeks and had this formidable chemistry together on stage. Mrs. Yang, the showcase’s director, tapped Eric and Wendy to perform a duet. It was magical! They worked seamlessly as performers.</p><p>The song they sang was “Lucky” by Jason Mraz and Colbie Callait. I was seated beside unnie on the middle row, waving my arms along to the slow tempo of the song. The crowd had their arms in the air too, but unnie’s hands went limp on her sides as Wendy sang, <em>“Lucky I’m in love with my best friend.” </em>She was frozen beside me, gazing up at the stage locked in a trance. I snapped my fingers before her, and she was brought back to earth. Being the <em>figuratively </em>blind woman that I am, I was oblivious to her epiphany. I recounted this story to Sehun into our first year of dating. He thumped me on the head.</p><p>Unnie and I rushed backstage at the conclusion of the show to congratulate our best friend. Rosie had bumped into unnie, asking for tips if she were to join the Broadcasting Club the next year, while I moved to the closed dressing room where Eric said Wendy had entered in.</p><p>I twisted the knob thinking she was freshening up, but nope, she was situated in between a pair of dangling legs, whereas Kim Yongsun was atop a dresser, hands around Wendy’s neck. They were making out. I stepped backwards. They hadn’t noticed me enter. Moving out of the room, my back hit something. <em>Someone.</em></p><p>Irene-unnie had been standing behind me.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Unnie!”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Unnie, walk slower!”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“I wanna be alone, Seul.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Where are you going?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Somewhere. Anywhere. Don’t know. Not sure. Just anywhere but here.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Why, what’s the matter?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“We’re not playing twenty questions, Kang Seulgi. Leave me alone.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Unnie, stop that!”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Irene, stop!”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Leave me alone, Seulgi.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“I will. With the condition that you tell me what the heck is going on because your mood has been all over the place and it’s—”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Unnie…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Are you crying?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“I’m not. Why would I be? There isn’t a valid reason for me to cry. I’m not. I’m not crying. This is…these are…my are just sweating. It’s, um, the change of temperature is getting to my nerves. It was warm inside the theater, now it’s cold outside, which sucks since I wanted fresh air.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Would fresh air really do the trick?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“It will, Seul. You don’t have to be so worried about me. I’m fine. I just need some headspace to think.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“But unnie, can you—”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Seulgi. Please. I wanna be alone.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Okay…”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>My error was that I gave up the minute I didn’t succeed on prying Irene-unnie for answers. It was palpable to me that she was attempting to outface a personal dilemma, yet I was weak-willed. I had opportunities to step in as her best friend, yet I didn’t. At the same time, confronting her would have been treading on a landmine or communicating with a stubborn block of granite. She would have exploded on me, or she would be unresponsive to my queries. I had to treat that portion cautiously, taking preemptive measures since one misstep could inadvertently cause unnie to clam up entirely.</p><p>I really shouldn’t have given up. Unnie and I would have had a dispute, but I could have diffused the bomb that threatened to blow up in our faces. It’s unfortunate that my respect for her privacy recanted my apprehension. My gut was telling me otherwise. I should have trusted my instinct.</p><p>A stormy cloud was on unnie’s heel for consecutive days. She wasn’t mad per se. She just bore a passive expression, her smiles very tight-lipped, and had these neutral responses. She would pat me on the back for worrying, insisting there had been pressure on her shoulders for college and I ate the well-founded lie.</p><p>Good news was, Wendy had broken her streak of casual endeavors. I had been conspicuously vocal with my displeasure on her occasional hook-ups. As casual as they were, it mentally frazzled her. I saw Koo Junhoe break down into tears, on his knees for a legitimate chance with her. I was baffled. He was a softie on the inside. Wendy had to peel him off from her legs. That concluded the chapter of her messing around.</p><p>However, I couldn’t relinquish my gnawing suspicions on unnie. It wore me out at night. To conciliate my unwavering skepticism, I sought out for a professional advice, but that crap is insanely expensive, so I made do with what I could afford.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Seul, this is hilarious. Have a look at this video Rosie sent me of her vacation in Melbourne. She got punched by a kangaroo! A freaking kangaroo!”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>“Punched by a wha—Oh my God, what in the world? That beefed up kangaroo can serve a punch! Is Rosie okay?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Beats me. If I were punched by a marsupial, I would be contemplating where my life went wrong…what was it you were saying again?”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>“It’s unnie. Her actions have been outlandish. There’s a split-second shift in her attitude. She’ll be okay at first, then she’ll be so…so moody the next. I can’t comprehend why.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Irene has been on the edge. I just got into the Broadcasting Club, right? And the members there love to talk, and one of them has the hots for Wendy. We would be huddled in a circle, while Irene would sit there quietly and stare at her. She could vaporize Wheein if she focused her mind to it.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>“She could just be an overprotective best friend.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Could be. But the girl’s a far cry from Koo Junhoe. She’s a literal puppy. This has got to be past being overprotective. How about that evening I slept over at your house with you three and I woke up to Irene sniffling?”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>“She did have the sniffles. You could have been hallucinating. I didn’t wake up to any noise.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>“If a nuclear missile blasted your backyard, you wouldn’t hear it.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>“If a nuclear missile blasted my backyard, I’d be dead, Jisoo.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Okay, not the most fitting comparison. I’m saying you sleep like your ears have been detached from your head. And I’m also saying, my Spidey-senses are tingling. Talk to her, Seul. I would, but I don’t have the balls to confront Irene, because I biologically do not have any balls to begin with.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>“And you’re implying I do?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Nah, I feel she’d open up to you than Wendy.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>“How could you tell?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>“’Cause whatever it is she’s going through, it has everything to do with Wendy.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>-</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Jisoo has her peculiar quirks. She balances water bottles on the crown of her head in class and sucks in helium to sing in a high-pitched tone for entertainment, but she’s quite contemplative underneath the weirdness I love about her. Don’t ever judge a book by its cover. You will be surprised by its contents.</p><p>Wendy and Yong had developed this unspoken exclusive set-up with each other. I had been calling it <em>exclusively dating</em>. Wendy would reiterate that official labels were pretentions, even if she and Yong were becoming the textbook definition of a couple.</p><p>Irene-unnie and her mod swings were still prevalent. Wanting to believe her, I took the bait as she blamed it on the hormones of an angsty teenager. Hormones are indeed unpredictable at eighteen. I was attentive to what was happening, but I just continued to observe from the sidelines.</p><p>I was calculating the time when unnie’s transformation in demeanor began, and I suspected the downfall of her emotional state was from Wendy’s blooming romantic life. This was, of course, theoretical. I wasn’t into jumping to conclusions and I would’ve preferred unnie to verbally validate my theory than have someone else spoon-feed the words for her. I thought she was jealous of Yong, jealous that her best friend found someone besides us to latch onto. Yeah, I was close to hitting a bullseye. My arrow swerved sideways before it could land on the red dot.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Did you get the number twenty-one on your Student Council jersey after my birthday?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Puh-lease. I wouldn’t stroke your ego like that.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>“A wise move, Yong.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong><em>“It’s after </em>my <em>birthday.”</em></strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“Say what? No way. You’re born on the twenty first too? What month?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“February.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>“So is Wannie!”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>“For real?”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“Ow, don’t jump while sitting on my lap!”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“I’m shocked, is all.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“I’m only learning this as well. Is that why you couldn’t go whenever I invite you to my birthday parties?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“I did have my own party to go to. Why weren’t we able to put two and two together?”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“We should have coordinated!”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Hmm, we should have but we were preoccupied with our own celebrations then. We can do that next year, hun. The four of us are going to the same university.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“This is amazing! Aren’t you freaking out? Why are you not freaking out? I’m freaking out! Oh my God!”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Easy there, tiger. You’ve had too much soda in your system.”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Is there something on my face?”</em> </strong>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“No—nothing. Oh, Seohyun is calling for you.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>“Ah! The Student Council has work to do. Bye!”</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“We should get going too.”</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>“I’m ready to go. Wannie?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Actually, would it be alright with you guys if you go on without me? The Student Council has a thing and I saw how stressed Yong was so, uh, I told her I’d help.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Aww, Wannie, you could’ve just said you have a date to catch.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“We’re not dating!”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“You’re both acting like you are.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Will you be fine with it, Hyun?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Hyun?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Earth to, Irene!”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“H—huh?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“I said, would it be okay if you and Seulgi go ahead while I stay with Yong for a while?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Um, uh, yes. Yeah. That’s okay.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Thanks, Hyunnie. Love you, guys!”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Love you, loser!”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>"Yeah. Love you too..."</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>-</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Wendy had given me—given everyone in our group the implication that she was a commitment-phobe. She did have these anti-commitment rants she seldom gave us. She would drone on, and on, and on. I would be nodding at what she said, but my mind would be up in the clouds and the words would flow from one ear and exit to the other.</p><p>What she was doing with Yong, it was a contradiction to her statements. Wendy is complicated when she gets the <em>feels</em>. She would say one thing, then would be doing things a person in a committed relationship would do. Like making out. Not that they haven’t done that before. Walking in on them was a recurring gag for me, very much recurring at the apartment Wendy and I shared in college. They would only be on the couch or at the kitchen kissing, but I wouldn’t risk walking in on something beyond it.</p><p>Prior to sealing the deal, Wendy would be doing these girlfriend-like gestures of leaving cute notes on Yong’s desk, buying her snacks without being asked, and she would just have this bright smile at the sight of Yong. I knew she had fallen in too deep. She would deny it at first, then weeks later, she could no longer hide how she wanted a lasting relationship with Kim Yongsun.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I’ve been thinking…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“About?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“About Yong.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Oh my gosh, is it finally happening?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Oh.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“I’ve been thinking on asking her out. On a date.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Like a casual date? Or <em>date </em>date?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p><em>“</em>Date <em>date. I know I’ve given the impression that what I’ve been doing is simply fooling around with Yong, but we do other stuff together, and it’s been amazing. </em>She’s <em>amazing.”</em></p><p>
  
</p><p>“Go for it, Wan!”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Yeah. Go.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“What are you waiting for?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Wha—what, you meant now?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Yes, dummy, not a moment to waste!”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Ow, ow, ow, stop slapping me! I’m going, I’m going! I’ll give Yong a call. Wish me luck!”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“I won’t have to ‘cause she’ll say yes!”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Wan going seriously mush for someone is real cute. Our best friend has grown—unnie, you seem stiff. You okay?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Unnie?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Hmm?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“You okay?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Yeah.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Sure?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Peachy.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>-</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Graduation day was bittersweet. You bid your farewell to the people you’ve been with for the last three years, more if you’ve had middle school together, all the while breathing in the relief at the freedom college promises. You won’t miss the burnouts from the prep classes you took, but you will miss the memories of laughing with your friends in the familiar hallways. There are better days ahead, but none can compare to the ones you’ve had in high school. Enjoy it while you can.</p><p>Wendy was our valedictorian. Everyone expected it. She delivered the speech with a watery voice, pausing in between her sentences to collect herself. Even before she started, I was a sobbing catastrophe. Irene-unnie was biting back her laugh and her own tears. Others were trying to overlook Wendy’s glassy eyes. The waterworks burst through our eyes when she wrapped up her speech with, “We’ll be scattered into different places, meeting new and permanent faces, but our time here with each other within the four walls of this institution can never be replaced.” We lost it.</p><p>After the ceremony, Yong gave Wendy a big kiss. The photo of them in togas and matching red lipstick marks on their cheeks was displayed at our old college apartment. It was cute. The three of us best friends also had our picture taken by our parents. That photo wasn’t to be showcased in our place. I did have it framed in my childhood bedroom though. Why? I’m getting to that.</p><p>I was glad it was Yongsun Wendy ended up dating. She was responsible and kept Wannie grounded. Irene-unnie’s feelings towards Yong was a gigantic blur. She wasn’t hostile. She wasn’t inviting either. To describe it accurately, she was cordial in interacting with her.</p><p>Wendy is perceptive, and per usual, she catches on faster than I could have. I’ve told you how nonconfrontational unnie is, and she pulled a classing Bae Joohyun move in the midst of the year-end party Jennie hosted for our graduating class by evading Wendy when she was about to be confronted. Wendy managed to tail her. The following events…they weren’t pretty.</p><p>Were you ever in a situation where real-life happenings were taking place, but the atmosphere you’re in feels like you’ve been dumped into a movie as a secondary character? You’re there, blending in the background, witnessing the scene of the two protagonists, a big car crash waiting to happen at the end of a dark and narrow tunnel.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Why are you avoiding me?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“I’m not avoiding you.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“You could’ve fooled me.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“You’re being paranoid. I am not a—”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Then why did you text Jennie that you needed an emergency escape ASAP?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Have you been snooping on my phone?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“I ran out of option. You didn’t give me much of a choice!”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“No, Wendy. You <em>had </em>a choice. You just chose to ignore my privacy, as you did before, and you’ve neglected my feelings.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p><em>“How about </em>I <em>feel with your constant avoidance? You don’t tell me anything!”</em></p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“You can’t handle the truth.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Don’t presume on what the outcome would be when you refuse to tell me what’s going on with you.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Try me, Hyun.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“…”</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“I’m in love with you.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Oh…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“I told you. You can’t handle it.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“What were you planning on doing? Avoid talking to me until it vanishes?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“What should I do then?”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“I—I…I don’t know. We can think of something. Find a way. There’s always a way. I found a way.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“You had a silly crush on me in freshman year, Wan. You can’t compare your feelings to mine.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Wai—she had—what.”</p><p> </p><p><em>“Can’t compare? Hyun. I was struggling. I </em>fucking <em>struggled. I…I was in love with you then too.”</em></p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“…”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p><em>“But you wouldn’t know because you wouldn’t talk about the situation like it’s forbidden and you pretended my feelings for you didn’t exist. You even begged me not to distance myself because you were so scared you’d lose me as your best friend. And I endured the pain while you were so happy with your boyfriend because I didn’t want to lose you either, even if it meant crying myself to sleep on many, </em>many <em>nights, so don’t say there isn’t a way!”</em></p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“I’m not like you, Wendy. I can’t be as resilient as you are.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p><em>“Are you…are you telling you took advantage of that and made me suffer since I’m </em>resilient? <em>How—how could you? I’m not made of steel. I’m prone to have my world crumbling down like any other person.”</em></p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“You’ve made it out and you’re here now. The past is the past.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p><em>“The past </em>fucking <em>hurt me! Just because it’s done, doesn’t mean it hurts any less. You can’t even compromise—”</em></p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“There’s no room for compromises for me, Wendy. There’s no room for compromises when you’ve taken my trust. There’s no room for compromising when this ache in my chest worsens every single time I’m in a room with you!”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Unnie…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“It’s like we haven’t been best friends…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>“Maybe that’s our problem. We act like we are when we’re not best friends, when we haven’t been anymore.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“You’re right. We aren’t.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Guys, hey, give yourselves some—”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>“Seul, I’m sorry for dragging you into this again. I can’t withstand being around her.”</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“…”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Wan..?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“It’s no use, Seul. Irene and I need a minute.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>But it wasn't just a minute they both needed. No one could have predicted they needed three years.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>in the original version, their fight occured before their sophomore year of college and they were apart for only 2 years. i've switched it up to have it coincide with the transition into their university life</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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